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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12151987 - FC.1 ti TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Finance Committee Cwtra Supervisor Tom Powers v�� � Supervisor Bob Schroder Costa DATE' December 8, 1987 COJ* SUBJECT AMENDMENTS TO UNIFORM BUILDING CODE SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the amendments to the Uniform Building Code, as recommended by the fire district. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The changes recommended by the fire service should reduce the need for additional firefighters in the future, and will provide additional safety to buildings which fall under the new amendments. BACKGROUND- For some period of time, amendments to the Uniform Building Code related to fire sprinklers and fire walls have been discussed. Some industry officials felt that the proposals of the fire district related to these two items were too restrictive and perhaps expensive. The issue was referred to the Finance Committee to receive more information. On December 7 , presentations were made by both sides. The Finance Committee took the issue under advisement. Individual committee members who aren' t satisfied with the amendments as now recommended may ask that the item be pulled from the consent agenda to discuss. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATIO OF TY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF O COM ITTEE AP /p/��/�`'�� OTHER SIGNATURE SuD6rvisor Tom P a ,_,_ r r ert Schroder ACTION OF OARD ON Cem r ) 87 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF 'SUPERV I SORS 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE . X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT - ) - AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. cc: Consolidated Fire ATTESTED --.December 15, 1987 Countv Administrator PHIL BATCHELOR. CLERK OF THE BOARD OF Building IriSDeCtlOn SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY M382/7-83V,. DEPUTY— i THE NEED FOR AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS, EFFECTIVE ' AREA SEPARATIONS AND AUTOMATIC SMOKE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS Recommendation The Contra Costa County Consolidated Fire District recommends amend- ments to the 1985 Uniform Building Code, when adopted, which would require automatic sprinkler systems in buildings with any floor area exceeding 10 , 000 square feet; would prohibit doors , windows or other openings in area separation walls unless the building is protected with automatic sprinklers ; would restore the original requirement for two-hour separation walls to extend 30 inches above the roof unless the building is protected with automatic sprinklers ; and would require automatic smoke management systems in buildings five or more stories in height or having more than 35 , 000 square feet in any single floor area. (The proposed 'Code changes are shown on Pages 5 , 6 and '? of this report. ) Puroose The purpose of this proposal is to provide built-in smoke and fire protection systems in buildings which are too large or too high or have areas too large for fire department resources to manage in the � .: event of fire; and to assure that fires in non-sprinklered areas cannot spread to other parts of the building, thus creating fires of an unmanageable size. Reason Simply put, fires involving building areas larger than 10 , 000 square feet are beyond the capability of our fire department to manage or control. This means that such fires usually continue to burn until there is little left but wet, charred rubble . More importantly, when such buildings are occupied, fires of. this magnitude will usually result in serious casualties, including loss of life . Furthermore, even in sprinklered buildings the management of smoke and convected heat in areas over 350 , 000 cubic feet ( 35 ,000 square feet of floor area) is also beyond the capabilities of our fire department resources. The importance of controlling smoke at fires cannot be emphasized enough. It is usually the smoke which kills most fire victims - often when' they are even located many floors or rooms away from the area of fire origin. Also, even when fires are relatively quickly controlled, 'unless the smoke is quickly removed, it will cause as much or more property damage than that caused by flames , heat and water. i The management of smoke and convected heat is as essential as the /._ application of water in controlling building fires. (Refer to the Fire District Service Delivery Capabilities Tables on Page 10 of this report, which indicates the relationship between fire department resources and floor areas. ) The necessity for prohibiting openings such as doors in area separation walls and requiring that such walls extend 30 inches above the roof when such areas are not sprinklered has been demonstrated by numerous building fires. The problem with allowing doors or other openings (even fire doors ) in walls intended to stop fire spread is that the doors frequently fail to do what they are supposed to do. They fail- to close properly or fail to close at all due to abuse , obstructions , settling of the building, or complete removal. Thus , when an uncontrolled fire occurs in such an area, it isn ' t long before it extends to the next area and becomes unmanageable. The problem with allowing (two hour) area separation walls to terminate at the underside of roofs when the areas are not sprinklered is that fire can and will eventually burn through the roof and then travel along the roof to the next building area. This was one of the problems at a major loss fire involving multi-residential buildings in Walnut Creek in 1981 . This fire resulted in a loss of 14 condominiums . When such areas are sprinklered, it is unlikely that fire can burn through the roof; and, in such cases, termination of the area separation walls at the underside of the roof would be acceptable. (See Figure 1 on Page 11 for an illustration of this principle. ) Local Condition Factors Climatic conditions , particularly winds, can have a major adverse effect on the control of fires and smoke in building fires. In a report on the Rockefeller Park Towers fire in Cleveland, Ohio, on January 5 , 1982 , in which five people died and 17 more were injured, the Fire Journal stated: "As the fire grew in intensity, its heat broke the windows within the apartment of origin. Winds reportedly gusting to 30 MPH were able to push the fire rapidly into and down the third floor corridor like a blowtorch. The corridor quickly filled with smoke and heat, trapping third floor occupants in their rooms. (Vertical smoke movement through elevator hoistways cause deterioration of ambient conditions within the means of egress in the building. ) Thick smoke penetrated to the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the building through these openings. " (Page 65 , Fire Journal, March 1983 ) . In another fire which involved the Baptist Towers in Atlanta, Georgia, on November 30 , 1972 , from which ten people died, it was reported that the fact that the apartment of origin was on the windward side i of the building added to the fire problem. Since the window in the room of origin had broken early in the fire, the direction and f 1 velocity of the wind drove the fire toward the corridor and the fire became a serious threat to other occupants" ; and, 3 -2- . . the fire developed to such proportions that it was a threat to occupants of five other floors . Considerable smoke and heat were spread by the elevator shaft . The shaft was exposed by open elevator doors on the fire floor and by open elevator doors on the tenth floor. Smoke was also reported in stairways during the fire. All occupants of these floors had to leave the fire area, many requiring assistance by firefighters . One occupant from the tents floor later died. " (Pages 21 and 103 , Fire Journal , May 1973) The winds in our area can reach velocities up to 55 MPH and blow from every direction on the compass from time to time . Buildings cannot, and are not, designed to utilize such winds for natural ventilation or to prevent such winds from creating smoke and fire spread problems when windows break. Topographical and geographical conditions which result in limiting the number of fire companies that can reach the scene of a fire in sufficient time and force to have a positive effect are a real factor. Even very large fire departments, such as New York City' s, cannot manage large fires in buildings without automatic sprinklers and smoke management systems . (See the report : Smoke Hinders High Rise Fire Operations from the February 1981 issue of Fire Command , included in the Documentations Section of this report. ) There is a 'direct relationship between the number of fire companies which arrive within a ten minute response time and the effective- ness on the control of fire and smoke in buildings . (Companies arriving after ten minutes can usually only be utilized for relief , logistical or defensive operations as opposed to initial attack, rescue, ventilation and salvage operations. ) The Consolidated Fire District is able to respond a maximum of seven to nine fire companies to any location within its jurisdic- tion within ten minutes due to topographical and geographical features , such as travel routes , station locations , inadequate arterials , canals , freeways, railroads , hills , etc. Reference to the Fire District Service Delivery Capabilities Tables on Page 10 of this report will reveal that 10 , 000 square feet of non-sprinklered floor area is the maximum that can be managed by these limited resources . It further reveals that these resources can manage a maximum of approximately 35 , 000 square feet of sprinklered floor area in relation to smoke control . Therefore, climatic , topographical and geographical conditions have a real impact on our ability to manage fires in buildings and have an impact on the size of building areas which must have built-in automatic protection systems in order to prevent major loss fires . -3- Conclusion We believe that the amendments we are recommending are not only practical and feasible, but conservative and reasonable in light of the potential fire protection problems that impending new building construction poses. We strongly urge the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to favorably consider the adoption of the amendments as proposed. -4- i I 1985 Uniform Building Code I Section 505 Allowable Floor Areas Page 30 and 31 I Section 505 is amended by altering Subsection ( e) and Subsection f (e ) 3 I - Exception 2 as follows: Subsection (e) Area Separation walls . Each portion of a building separated by one or more area separation walls may be considered a separate building, provided the area separation walls contain no openings unless the building is protected throughout with an approved automatic fire extinguishing system, as specified in Chapter 38 and the wails meet the following requirements : Subsection ( e) 3 . Exception: 2. Two-hour area separation walls may terminate at the underside of the roof sheathing, deck or slab in buildings protected throughout by an approved automatic fire extinguishing system as specified in Chapter 38 provided: I I I I !I I I -5- SMOKE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Sec . 1725 . (a) Purpose. The requirements of this section are intended to establish basic requirements for controlling the movement of smoke within a building ( smoke management system) . Additional requirements for high-rise buildings shall be as specified in Section 1807 of this Code . ( b) Where Reauired. This section shall apply to all buildings housing A. B, E, I and R-1 occupancies which meet any of the following conditions : 1 . Five ( 5 ) or more stories in height. 2 . Having occupied floors located more than 40 feet above the lowest level of Fire Department vehicle access . 3 . More than 35 , 000 square feet in any single floor area. Note: Area separation walls installed in accordance with Section 505 (e) shall not qualify as creating separate floor areas when such walls contain openings . EXCEPTIONS: 1 . Open parking garages . 2 . Aviation control towers. 3 . Single-story Group B, Divisions 2 and 4 occupancies provided with smoke and heat venting in accordance with Section 3206 (a) . (c) HVAC Svstems. Smoke management systems may be combined with other air handling systems provided that, upon activation, the smoke management functions override all other functions . Any air handling system which would interfere with activated smoke control systems shall automatically shut down or change operation to assist in smoke control upon such activation. (d) Design and Installation. ( 1 ) Every smoke management system shall be designed with zones which shall not exceed one ( 1 ) floor per zone. Upon activation, .the system shall operate at 100 percent exhaust to the exterior from any zone of smoke generation and at 100 percent outside supply air to the zone of smoke generation and adjacent zones.. Adjacent zones shall have return dampers closed. The zone of smoke generation shall be provided with not less than six ( 6 ) air changes per hour. . ( 2 ) Operation of the smoke management system shall be initiated autcmatically upon the actuation of appropriately zoned automatic sprinkler flow indicators and/or smoke detectors . Smoke detectors complying with the requirements of UBC Standard 43-6 shall .be provided in accordance with Section 1009 of the Uniform Mechanical Code . -6- ( 3 ) Zone operation status indicators and manual controls capable j ( of overriding the automatic controls shall be provided in a location approved by the fire department. ( 4 ) Exhaust discharges and fresh air supply intakes shall be so located as to prevent the re-introduction of smoke into the building. ( 5 ) The location of required fire dampers or combination smoke/fire dampers shall be clearly indicated on plans . ( 6 ) Duct materials shall be capable of safely conveying heat, smoke and toxic gases , to withstand both positive and negative pressures which may be imposed during the smoke-control mode , and meet all the requirements of the Mechanical Code . STANDBY POWER, LIGHT AND EMERGENCY SYSTEMS Sec. 1726 . (A) An on-site standby power generation system conforming to U.B.C. Standard No. 18-1 shall be provided in all buildings .requiring a smoke management system as set forth in Section 1725 . The system shall be equipped with suitable means for automatically starting the generator set upon failure of . the normal electrical supply systems and for automatic transfer of all functions required by this section at full power within 60 seconds of such service failure. System supervision with manual start and transfer features shall be provided at a location approved by the fire department. An on-premises fuel supply sufficient for not less than four ( 4 ) hours full demand operation of the system shall be provided. (b) The standby power generation system shall supply and be sized for the following: 1 . Smoke management system. 2. Elevator car lighting. 3 . Required exitway lighting. 4 . Sprinkler alarm system. 5 . Fire detection system. 6 . Fire alarm system. (c) The above requirements may be modified when, in the opinion of the Fire Chief and with the concurrence of the Building official, adequate building access as required by the Uniform Fire Code is provided. I i 1� I -7- i (c ) The above requirements may be modified or waived when, in the opinion of the Fire Chief and with the concurrence of the Building Official, adequate building access as required by the Uniform Fire Code is provided. j 1807 (g) Smoke Control . Smoke control shall be provided in accordance ' with Section 1725 of this Code. i (Delete (g) as printed in the Code. ) l 3 i 1 1 1985 UNIFORM BUILDING CODE Section 3802 Automatic Fire Extinguishing Systems j Pages 597-598-599 Section 3802 is amended by adding Subsection (b) 5 , deleting Subsection (c) 3 and altering Subsection (d) as follows : - lSubsection (b) 5 . All occupancies when the total floor area j exceeds 10 , 000 square feet. Exception: Group B, Division 3 , Open Partying Garage Buildings } containing no other occupancies and where exterior walls containing openings are located not less than 20 feet from an adjacent property line or center line street or public space. Subsection (c) 3. Exhibition and display rooms deleted. Subsection (d) ., Group B, Division 2 Occupancies . Group B, . _ Division 2 occupancies more than three stories in height. The area of mezzanines shall b2 included in determining the areas where sprinklers are required. 1 k a c k r -9- i (r, FIRE DISTRICT SERVICE DELIVERY CAPP.BILITIES The maximum 10 minute response force to any location within the Contra Costa County Consclidated Fire District is from 7 to 9 fire companies . This is the force that will have any positive i n act on the control of fires in buildings . (Units arriving after the first 10 minutes operate in defensive , logistical , support and reserve functions . ) FIRE CONTROL (Fire Flow Deliverv) CAPABILITY Building fires require approximately one (3-person) fire company for every 250 GPM of fire flow required to control the fire. Ccnservatively, it takes a minimum of 0 . 2 GPM per square foot of involved or potentially involved floor area . Therefore, there is a relationship of approximately 1, 250 square feet of fire floor area per fire company. District Resoonse Fire Flow Maximum Floor Area 7 Companies 1, 750 GPM 8 , 750 Square Feet 8 Companies 2 , 000 GPM 10 , 000 Square Feet 9 Companies 21250 GPM 11 , 250 Square Feet SMOKE CONTROL CAPABILITY At fires in sorinklered buildings, approximately 8 , 000 cubic feet of atmosphere per minute can be managed with the personnel and eeuipment of each fire company. Allo,,eing 5 minutes for a complete atmosphere change result_ in appro-:imately 40 , 000 cubic feet per co:.10anv. This converts to approximately 4 , 000 square feet of floor area per fire company. District Response Air Flow Maximum Floor Area 7 Companies 56 , 000 CF:i 28 , 000 Square Feet 8 Cc:7panies 64 , 000 CF:i 32 , 000 Square Feet 9 Ccmc—nnies 72 , 000 CF?? 36 , 000 Square Feet i i -10- �r 1 e;}} ,�r^,_. Y�..,"'y`y,-�a.sS.:.::.�r.e.:..,L.;ci,.':v:d.. :�f'�^:'1`�'J`.:::1r .p�'�y=a'i"""a'.�hi'1' .�'.b..�'�F✓���. 0 2 t k1 =f •"�a9 0 ljr/< p ♦ ..' . .. r b � ti y• l!t r� / Y• I _ w S 3cI �r v �4• � 4 t Summary Investigation Report rl ! r 112,r 51'. ftr +l'f l x T •fi•Ilrr �ta-r.ra e•� �^I`'¢�r'y�' ' { l , per- r`- ,-'t j�'1.� ., \Y�Jr�•'•.�' w!i ti/-y TLc It„ckl {'art. ,r.c,•r.6 rJ hl•cn l,ru o,•rlyd tr,:rn .v. -Tom'•-Rr. c�+ >,�.,` l .r4't "'S. Ss� f•:, � '�4U+� \, ri- -ta JjM �� f al,.IrUncnl buildin¢cuid:unury 111, 1, r Fytand h:,utlicaplx•d Tln•I:rt:,I (i n•L•c:,n in a 1111111-Ilr.,r ! i I 'a-'7-.y .-moi ?-?�-�`A a�, x, ">�r•„` a+ti��+.'. .����. ..4 .�•' _71al,arl,nrnt. N/'I'n t r r j4 V It r C: r. ti t f:i.-r�J--, •,_„ Jl �.vn� f r •r.7' 23t'L1 -Tai;... t --- •--��.;•a,��_.\ter xa,�;, - '� ';?_�� ,4` nl­ 51 - --�--- - Five Die in Rockefeller Park Towers Fire, Cleveland , Ohio JAMES It. BELL tl A fire in a residential aparhncut huildipg housing of\ahonl \sere removed over fire department aerial I;I(1- ! mostly elderly residents. in Clc\'el:uld. Ohio, on dors, carried ou stretchers, or led from the building by )ano:u'y:S. I'.)S°. was respomi!Ilc for the d,•:Ilk of ficr of fire dc1):10111cnt personncl. 'file fire dc1arh11cnt rt•- Ii thr•ocrnrvu,I. old 111111x1••< t„ 17,oh,-1 I,r.l,,,,l, i cllvliu^ ported that many of the occup;ults \cctc 11111141. hamdt- thrt•c fit,- il::ht, rs. ooc of ..h„m, .na:linr•d srrinn< imide\'. capped. or had ;I1111,11LI(oly problems Illat re(loiled thrix �: b)(A io\v\t;;;ltors determined that the calve of the fire. using; \\'hecicllairs. The condition(s) of the occupant. rc- which occnrn•d at .Y00 pill• was cicclrical. 'I he fire rt,- (lnirl•d sit,oificant loolmal rflorts by tilt, flee delmitnlcot i l rluired tilt- cyaco.ltioo of P)0 nlnttly cldcrk Ic.Nidcnts. 50 and r"sldlcd in aomc- dl'la\ helm tilt- 11olidirl \\';IN lo- l:dly r'yacu.ltcd. TI... ... L r. 6.1.,,1 nrI 11,.'"S.... rn In...Ir4.roun It, l.nt. It..k- Factors conk iholim.;to tilt- f.lt.lhh"s in tl,i. fir" .ycrr•: I cfcila r Il,rk I-.n.."r. Fnr.(:Ir.oLur,l,t llr.,.J.w ve n'"�. I'll?. pmlurr-d • Ih'lay nl not(yin� occupants of the dt•yclopul, ( rr In).uu.�.H ii.�ll, \FI'\ L't:r.l.rl,.•�Trrinu,�.d llr,',.rL.l l„11„ 16, NI-TA rn,.irr .u,alr..rn.,n l (alto toit,,l diu,lyeryl IhromQh dW Inc of file huli,hn,;s loft,it,,. Fr,i�r.,l F:rrrrr:rnoc \l.uu�r!ur..t .\;:..nc.:t mI.d ll.u, Fill' nlant1.11 lit'P:I l.lf 111 .\'\tclil. 1*II1'(14'1:1\'„a. pl ilnari! .l'.Io Nt'd .ld unnnM1.d..m .f F:\1 C�lF\1 .u,d :Lr .\.d un,.rl 14rrtr.u, Irl \Lnul- 1 r I.,, F,, 1lrwmd, l\Rl(alt, It a.l♦ I.unll. lou,Led {rt, l)\';Ill :Il44'111 p1 Ir\' rl'\1111'1lli to c.\[ tilt-tilt' firl'; tL..,• .,�cr.,�,, ,..I dw \F I'.\. • F.lilul-” of all apart lilt nt (oil ldor th,tlr to close. ;if- FIRE JOL'ItNAt-- M.\ItCll It)l3 It 3 .r .IoWil11 the fit-,' 311dproducts III koolbustit'll to enter IIIc landings Ittr fire departmeot use visas located in one of the third-Iluor Lori idnr. This rt•.ultt-d in rapid dt-lcrioration exit stairways. of tellable Modltiuns in the exit-:IwLI•J] CMI-Idlll'. A local rite alarm systenh within the building could he activated by use of the manual pull stations located BACKGROUND throughout the building. $Ingle-station, battcr)- operated smoke detectors were located in each apart- The Iiockefs.lIcr flat Totters tw:u a six-story structure ment unit to alert the occoliant(s) of that unit.2 lone of of Gtr-resistiwe construction uicasurirlg 102 lcct by 30S the alerting devices wilhin the building were clesigoccl feet. Approxiolatcl 50 years old, it had originally been for automatic fire department notification. built as a Salvation Anuy Centcr to house occupants on a temporary hlLcis. When the building was renovated in THE FIRE 1974, the occupancy classification was changed from a transient housirhg Facility to a peen:Ment residential Investigators from the Cleveland Fire Department's ap:n-tnn•nt facility, housing mostly the elderly and handi- Fire Investigation Unit determined that the fire \vas ac- capped.' Tile building was privately owned and oper- cidental. It was apparently caused by electrical arcing of rated. -kt the time of the fire, a building superiutende•nt an extension cord connected to a table lamp located in a lived on the sixth floor. bedroom of apartment unit 321. The exact condition (or The building contained 133 residential units consisting conditions) that caused the arcing were not determined. of both one- and two-bedroom apartments. A typical However, it was determined that the lamp and extension upper floor contained 23 units located on either side of cord were located next to the bed and that a large the double-loaded corridor. The 250-lout-long exit- amount of boxed combustible materials stored in the access corridor had two exit stairways located near theroom contributed to the grovv-th of the nee. ends of the corridor. The west stairway was entered At approximately 8:00 pm, the 88-year-old resident of through a vestibule arrangement, while the est exit was an apartment cn the third floor(unit 321) \vas re:ding in entered directly from the exit-access corridor. The exit her living room when the single-station smoke detector 1 stairways were provided with I VI-hour B-labeled doors within the unit began to sound, first intermittently and in steel frames, %%-ill self-closing devices. Furthermore, then continuously. The occupant apparently reported i the doors were positive latchingthat she first "paid it no mind' because it often made Two enclosed elevator hoist\ways Were located in the noises when she was cooking. When the detector con- building. Two elevators were provided at the east end of tinued to sound, she began to look around the apartment the corridor, while a single service elevator was located for the source of fire. The occupant became aware of on the west end of the corridor. smoke billowing from the doorway of one of the two h Apartment entry doors were composition, solid-core bedrooms. She reportedly made one or more attempts to doors with a plastic laminate surface in steel frames and extinguish the fire, using water in a teapot carried from f were equipped with self-closing devices. the kitchen. During the extinguishment attempt, no no- The building was not protected by a complete auto- tification of the developing fire was made to other occu- matic sprinkler system; however, it was provided with a pants. partial system in utility arcs, basement areas, and two Abandoning her extinguishment attempts', the occu- storage closets located on each floor. A wet standpipe pant left the apartment and alerted a neighbor in the system with a single riser and hose connections m floor next apartment unit. The neighbor apparently assisted the occupant to the exit stairway and pulled the manual I KFPA itll, tke Life SafLty Cody' nu.v inc'ludc,.I uc.w noi;Iruli:d fire alarm pull station. once at the stairway, the • ritivolms,ty cla,%.F(ation termed "Alurtmcuts for the Eldesly." Thi, neighbor, for some ural:not\'n reason, did not enter the 1! JC,I�I..1(inn n-6,t'Is the un up..r Lha raetwri,l k's and ealuLililiws of the elderly.The UJ.'$uJ'fy Cur/a'dt(lues aputn:rola G.t the Eldr-rlr as:nI exit stairway with the occupant from the apartment of . . .aluitlucnl hw!d m,t•,slit•rlhwJlac th:signed for Iwusiu};eid,•rlt•iudi- fire' origin. Fire fighters later found the neighbor, who tidn.ds.,lin Jr.•Iol,..b6r of stlfy,rt,cls,tinn'•. "las; one of the fatalities, in a small alcove off the C{..Iph'r IS. 'ti-.. .1 parinu:Id IVsdd u.I:,.*'allot CLJpsrr Ill. �'Eti,t- r Irl;Alun third- ....... R.ph hntl., of lht•C.>•re rellcel the....Igor cJ pd nlih..,of floor corridor. - Ihe ellen, IJ,- il,vtdamg fire prutecti.rn rcgnu rntwnt> g"neralle Based on a review of the physical evidence, inves- grrJlor tlr.ut 16...e Grr l:citur.d :gwt,i%t rat tl..rllul Vis. ligators bt lievc that, ;dlhuugh it was equipped with a It I. mrd she url.:nt Ihat ll.rtr ,pra'ud n'.In rtrm rnh :gg.hto .q..,rl- . . Insert I.rnLLr..,.flot).,,I hnplw•n I.,L.-n.t'.gnrd ht it,,- Molly, bill....l,. se ll-closing dew ice, the door to tht• ap.o nuent of oriYut I., II...... .....,tu..rat I,n J.hn¢, yra'Ih,.des ndrmh rl r,r Is....,I' cid.II, - n•..•Irnls T!.... ,I'ts.......ny nnt.hlG,"ell .O."'A'1..d,[,-It....... _ .\ ,unar-.lan.m, m,id,11tlA-t,I"-,mole dr-lrtlar prn„ded.culnn 1rr.l t'Ilrr'byre 1.1 ire •.ft,'n t....lr cost lyre I..a'J I. ,IJIe.nr 1,-dct.11 It....lrlr�,.n J.I Inde,Id and rrwrm „'Ill only pr...')de si411r11,'...,I .,'.Irinnl:1., dw ,4a'll- ihr.r.n.n.n.rlgay i.,r,j,r,,.,1 t.rt,is(10 In,u!dlt..n,, Ill.' nJnlv. .n lyre- lulls, .I Ill.,(r..ml.d tiiles.M'curnn'Z..dltu,Ihrlr n.,n r..nn. 11tel dvtvt u.n,.lir I.rn.r.!.. .....lr!r .."dem, ..I Ihr ...lent. sur t, still pro.Idtd sur n1 Inl,'ndrd to la,'e.c.Irmol In J rlMnn,.c,ilmitt If r .d..•!....I I• •I-...e IJl'd.I rr. ..rI. ..ill I.I..,r.lr.l. it.r.1 Ill. ,.l .I !itt'..ttrrRm4 is, .illydher(.unit r.r limy .d Il.r Jlllrlmvi.l fin lld"ll". ....r,ld1nr•.rr .K,..r.drh' Lc tl..,uhrd a, a d..nnrin. If. I.......... [I,,- I'ndretn.tt ul.wrnlunh front Cin•a .,torr is< it, ,o.nnunt arc:¢ or tvn- rr,rdrnt+ .h...r nr nu•rrl •rr list t.y„Lh' .,I ,,li-I...... Jl inn.'Ihr.. Luis ut.It ulG r.cJl*• lolly's tall unle Ise pruculcd Ire Circ drlirnnn tt's- Iuvlih tJrr is u.rrmrnis",..all Jpld.'. will, LtiJtrd m ..t It.tr,A,. G 4 - FlitF. JOURNAL - MARCH I`N.3 rentailled open tftrolu�hoot n)ost of the fire. This could in addition to the fire alarm system notification. the have liven caused by the f:lilure of the self-closin"device• huildilig.s ut:utat;elite nt atten7ptetl to tclephnur• man,• of i uuL'or by a Gee extinguisher that \was found blocking the the occupants front the building switcbhoard tit Giwc 1 door open. The operative status of the door closer iin- them appropriate evacuation directions. /• medimelw following the fire was not determined by the Casualties G-nnl this fire inclmlcd fiwc filtalitics :utd I t NFPA. injuries. The five victims were occupants of the third As the Fire zi-e w in intonsit\% its heat hioke the win- floor; one of thein was the occupaut of the unit nest to doves \\'ithin the apartment ofori,,in. Winds. renortedIx. the unit of fire miyin. gustrin_ to .iu miles mer hour. ,.ere able to nosh tilt' lire Fire fighters found the• other four Iatalities, who were j rannik into anti dm%n the third-floor corridor "like :i occupants of units located near the unit of origin, (luring j u:oaat ria. he o)rridor uluckiv filled with smoke and search-and-rescue operations. t heat, tr:c7;1tn, th:ru-hour occunants in their rooms. Ve;tical <110lC uutycn7rnt throw.1i t'lc•wahtr hoist- ANALYSIS \caws caused de ternraNnn of ambient rnnditions within tae means of e^_ress in the building. Thick smoke.. The most significant factors contributing to the penc:tratcu to file :uurtii. fifth, and sixth floors of the fatalities in this Gee were: bmiUtn+_ thrOi7Lh mese oncnin•>s. Some of the occupants • Delay in notifying occupants (after initial discovery) on the upper roors who heard the fire alarm sounding of the developing fire through the use of the buildings were able to escape on their own, using the building's manual fire alarm system. The delay was primarily two exit stairways. Other occupants, who either found caused by an attempt by residents to extinguish the Fire; that smoke conditions precluded the use of the exit- • Failure of an apartment corridor door to close, al- access corridors or were otherwise unable to make an lowing the fire and products of combustion to enter the escape attempt, stayed in their apartments and awaited third-floor corridor. This resulted in rapid deterioration rescue. of tenable conditions in the exit-access corridor. G Fire Cghters arriving oh the scene thought at first that the fire was contained In one apartment. Further size-up The substance of this investigation reliort is dedicated to the public. of the budding revealed heavy smoke pouring from win- It maw be freely reprinted with the customary crediting of the sourer. down on the building s north side. Fire was seen rolling The author :cod publisher are solrh' responsible for the acrur,c of statements or interpretations contained herein. from the windowsof the apartment oforigin on the south This relxtrt is another ufthe NFPA's stncbrs of fires hawiog t erticu- side Of the building. Furthermore, many occupants of larlw imlxnrtant educational or technical interest-Tire information pre- the up(7cr f100rS u'C rC leanirin scnted is based on the hest data available mmit-diatcly alier the fire �or, in some cases, hangln� I incident and that obtained dunng subseyucnt follow-up. from awindo%vs. Fire depart rent personnel told the oc- It is not the NFPA's intention that this rrlxrrt lass judgment on,or cupants to remain in their rooms to await rescue by Fire fix Itabilitw for. the loss of life and ixuperhat the Iluckelcller Park fighters. To,,ers. . The cooperation of James McNamee. Chief of the Clcve Lund F iry Many of the occupants who remained Ill or were Dclortmenl, is ackno.wledgrd. The asci,tamrc and ave q>v ration of 13.1t. trapped in their rooms were removed from the building talion Chicf Walter Zimmer. Fire Cro nd Commander. Captain Robert t'awlik, and Lieutenant Ilayrik of Ib,- Fire Prc%cnlion Burl'all by fire fighters, who either led theta out or carried than anal I-icu4•naut Loins Per¢of the Pira• lowest igat inn Unit arc cR•:etly from the building on stretchers. appimiatad- tss Control Education in the Workplace(cu„lristu d frn.n pm•c GI) E irlpiu; -education and training;can provide or main- on trained employees include adc(pl Lely nt:tirttaincd tail, many of lhe, !0 gii:ilities. For example, auluinatic coachmen' Intl good huusekrrping. 13otlt ;tri areas sprink!rrs are reev ni,: .' s the primary (left-rise against \%-here employee Gresafetr education is particularly im- disastrutu fire loss in indri,trv. c',trinklels 11 we proved. port 11 1. because employees 11,1yC the most direct emttaet litre :ltd time :11 .tin. to he the nets It-,Aie •tire :tad \villi and coutiol over propor maintenance and plant clJicicrit form of Fire protection in iudustly. )\%ewer, cleanliness. t protectant systems such as automatic sprinklers laic.. „• The longi-trim firesafeh• retard of even the must closely nnnutort-d. One closed wady\ allows a small, coil- ell-protected ficilih dCpends, at IcASI in part, on tilt' troll-lid.- fire to result in :t catastrophe. Thk is clearly a hum. . i•nu•nt. Truncd cutplowecs can do mulch to ! liummi rietncnt proh!t-io. Educational pamphlets such AN prevent lo„ nom oec•urrint, and to respond in \ways the F.10 ,r Nluhl.11 S\,trin s '•llo\w to Control tin: Shut lh.it lnlrtinli;:c lon ss \. • fires do occur. Eml,loyecs. ahll- \'ahc ILci-trd * and hidimnk al Ni, Insurers. RS\ It — ity to prc\ent and 1161111111. u.s is not "autom.ctiC. hill (Icsrnre >but \'a!\es Prnlnptlw. .irt- dt-siQi ed to r\p1.1in is 11.1sc•d on education and trainll”, 1'ilc1afC1\ education 1 r 1i'eh\'p lo„ the 1:n(�nrtancc .nf 1,Itrn spunkier valves .ind n:•_n Lu 1l,- in flit' \cuckplaec is .ui inh•gr.tl p.ut ill ! ispcchrn i rn Irate,s. (antro( pati•rain .ind a total educahon:l cllott 1• rduca• Other ,jualitirs of.i \well-protected plant Him c!eln nd fire lo.s. E 1 FIRE. JOL IIN,SL — MAkCl1 11PO 6 .i l Baptist Z mvers Houslno- for the Elclerly 1 ATL_1\T_1, GEORGIA A. ELWOOD WILLEY, VFPA Fire Record Department ON NOVEMBER 30. 197?, closets. The efficiency units Bove approximately 400 J: the day after the fatal \"e\v Orleans high-rise fire (see square feet and consist of a combination sleeping-living "{ this issue, page 6), there was a fire at the Baptist room, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a closet. Each unit Towers Home for Senior Citizens in Atlanta, Georgia. has a store and if refrigerator, and residents provide This fire in an 11-story Fire-resistive apartment building all other furnishings. designed to house the elderly took ten sictims—inclnd- The building is located on a sloping grade, so.that in ci¢ht residents and a ^card on the floor of orit-in, ground-level access is provided to the first floor on the seventh boor. One resident from the tenth flnor the west side of the building and ground-level access died six clays later. In that the fire occurred in a modern is provided to the second floor on the east side. The rc-resistive structure that was essentially designed in fi:st flocn contains ten apartments along wi,h a mechan- accordance with local and Federal codes, this presents ical equipment room, a refuse chute terminal room, a a highly relevant example of a multideath fire in a maintenance arca, a Iaundry room, and a beauty parlor. residential occupancy. The fire at the Baptist Tossers, The second floor has _'0 apartments; administrative which originated from the ignition of combustible facilities, including a lobby, a waiting room, and contents in a seventh-floor apartment, exposed the offices; a recreation room; a board meeting room; a .1djacent corridor and 29 other apartments. A comhina- catering kitchen: and a mail room. Floors Three tion of factors conn ihuted to the fire exposure: dclaycd through 11 each have 30 ap:utnunts and the floor plans alarm; the open door to the apartment of origin; use of are identical. corridor to supply make-up air,use of corridor carpeting The requiienu•nts for residency at the Baptist Towers with fire hazard characteristics beyond what is con- include age and self-care stipulations. A person must sidercd acce-ptable for the location; and the fact that he 04 ycars old or older and must pi oyicle a doctor's cer- the apartment of ori-in was on the windw—ird side of tificate indicating that lie (or she) can tnkc caic of the hltildin_. Smoke that soread throe21I the eV%ator . Sha1t \ -:'%:li se:i 11111'at to"C'cn 1)n 11 is 2 1 five otlu•1 f I n n l's. t'igurr 1. Detailed dl.m in-l'of tyliical layout Tn: BAPTIST TOWERS T _( �- T � i Ifunu• ror Sui,ior Citi/(,115 is lucatcd at 1SS1 \le'rllr Tr _t I �_ Driyv S\\', in Atlanta. Ccorgia. approximately sevenLl i1 � � miles riuni till, dueyntmvii wren. '111(, facility is spon-Bond by tl nriprefit Baptist Tmltr-c Corporation- � I T171 T—TI .OI ��� 1 Lid of ,even li.ipti>t churc:hrs in till :\llama area. LLll L _L .. J whose ohicctiev was to Ineyidc housioy for senior Citi- � . zcns. Fluulin•, eeas presided throw-'ll the HUD 236 L I'rn•,rmn nn hun.im; for the elderly. Tl lc S-1.5 million f,tciliI\ eya\cnlIli lctetl iii .\pt it Iq-'. The occup.uu y ey.is cl.issiFtvd as n•sidential, since (•['eery lis iii•, rout is :t .ciLIi.11e .ip.utmrnt .end nn Invdi- .I g 9 �i , I . c.il carr Liu:itie-s :ire prnyided. -I he hnildin, contains . :;(Y) .I p.0;;ncnti — ''10 o1w.1 'dwon) emits .mil ')t) cfti- . limey Inti,.. The onr-ki thnein units have approCi- m.itrlc 5if) .gilare fret .nid con.nt of .1 hc(1nnnn. a I lieiII-di:IIIw .irea, a kitehen, a 1t:I;luoom. .uid teen { + � h-IIS[ 101.11\.\1- — \l.\1' I')-.i 17 I 1 hi111iC1f Without assistnrice. In the case of couples one mented to the Poor slabs. The carpets in the corridor per%orI must he at least 62' %cars old. At the time of are loop pile 100 per cent pol\propylene. The pile is the filer there were 3_10 residents in the building• in- tufted to a primary backing of pohprop%lene fibers eluding nmintemince and staff pea'sonnel. Two main- that is hooded to a secondsn' backing of foam rubber tenancy men• two college students \yho perform jnnito- and the carpet is cemented to the Poor slams. vial duties, building 1,tim(is, and office personnel reside The scalls enclosing vertical shafts are two-hour fire- in the iuilding. A receptionist is on dray in the lobbw ' rated. Chase scalls enclosing ventilation and unlit,: arra dnriu, noe-ma1 o!Iier hours, :1111 ,from G pen until shafts (OSU Design No. T-1339) consist of two lacers i 7;1111 there is a 't :ted oilduh•. of !,incli listed gt•psutn %V•Illbonrd !aminated to a 'one- inch ne- inch core honed in metal runners. The elevator shaft The Iuilding. The fire-resistive building is constructed walls (OSI-' Design No. T-4451) consist of two lavers in a T confi_,uration, with the north-south segment of !:-inch gypsum wallboard on two lavers of one-inch mcasurin- 60 bw '_3S feet and a %%ing on the east meas- core board in metal runners. The stair%%ay wails are of urin, GO bs 72 fret (see Figure 1). The first Poor con- cipht-inch concrete block, and the openings arc en- tains appioximatcly 14,300 squm-c feet and Floors Two closed with labeled 1J_-hour fire door and frame as- through 11 contain approximately 1S,500 square feet semblies approved for Crass B locations. each. Two elevators ;n'c located in a central core and The building is served by thrcc stairway's. The stairs the corridors radiate from the elevator lobby in each at the north and south ends of the building run from %%-in-. Including the shaft enclosures, the elevator lobby the first to the eleventh floor, and the east stair runs measures IS by 42 feet. The corridors are fisc feet wide between the second Poor and the roof. All the stair- and wary in length hch%•cell the elevator lobbies and waves discharge to the outside,and there are illuminated the exit doors at their ends. The north, south, and cast exit signs installed at the stairway doors. The emer- corridors are,I uspcctively,»,92, and 73 feet long. gene% illumination is Tvpc 3, with th(• source of power The building construction consists of reinforced- supplied b}' a tap ahead of the main power supn!y concrete Poor slabs on reinforced-concrete columns. breakers. The Poor slabs are poured-in-place pan-type, with a The two elevators that serve the building and run minimum slab thickness of ?:: inches. 1-he exterior between the first and the eleventh Poor. ;u'c designed curtain walls ;Ire of four-inch brick. The interior parti- for automatic operation and the hall buttons are of tions between corridors and apartments and between the mechanical contact type. Key switches are in- apartments are one-hour fire-rated and are continuous stalled in the elevator for manual operation by staff from the Poor to the underside of the Poor slab above, 1)(•1-501111%1. A phutoclec•tic• cell safety device is installed The partition desig11, Ohio State Uniwersit.v (OSU) oil each elevator floor. No. T 33G3, consists of one layer of !:-inch listed - p- Individual electric heating and air-conditioning units sum Wallboard on each side on metal studs. For the arc installed in the CSt('1-10r \%:111 of each apattmcnt corridor partitions an additional layer of ''--inch non- fruit. A ventilation s%stem supplies fresh air to each 'i listed Gypsum wallboa-d is installed on the corridor con-idol- thrrnf"la a vertical shaft located adjacent to side, This Liver, is attached to the studs behind the the devalue shaft_ :\ e17':-h%'-3.�':-inch supply opening exterior lavr of listed ypsum \wallboard. CLI%: fiber is located in catch lobb%, :and the opening is prote•ctod is in\ullicd betwccil the studs for sound-deadening with a U1.-approved a11tomatic fire damper operated pnrpo;es. 011ier altlrtmcut partitions are constructed bya 16.5°1-fusible link. of g}'p•Iun awallhn.ud on metal studs. The apalttncut A 20,725-cfm fan to supply air to the wcntilatio:: cnfiy doors, :Ire 1.'i-io(i snlid-c'orc composite venter %%deals is 111CMOL! on file first floor :nut is alri:ulgrd to 1 doors in,t.kHt-d inwood fr.uncs. shut (1()%%n in tilt' cwcnt of ,I fire cxposin:{ the outside 'IC fluor :Ind et•ilinf :usenlblir% are two-hour ( re- ;1i1- nllakc. The air supplw to each corridor val It's from 4 r.urdIll the ap.nlmrnts the ccilin•,s consist of -inch 1,900 to 2,700 clan. The npa]finent entry doors are nn- 1i.tcd •{%p,nnl walllrn.frd suspended b -low the floor (1r1eut between the earpt'l %11]1.1(% and lilt- bottom of Lab,. to the (01](1111% the ccilin•,s onusist 0f Mint 1:11 the door to ,uppl% tach unit %witll make n1) :61% 1:.X- fill- \%till .t Cl.t,s :\ Il.une .prr:td table.,. sttppurh (1 b% hmM volts aro ltic:ftrd in the S.fthrouul ;11111 kitchen of T eh.n]nels snspcod,d k low tic floor ,fails. Tic ell- rich ap,t:ttncr]t .and :111- is eshanstcd tlunn-'h %erlical %.t:or !oi1:w %%.11Is .uu1 Ib,- \%a11s -it Hw cud of cat It (or. sb.Ift% to the roof. .\ sniduet is installed hrtween cac!I ] ]]aloe h:;ver a 611%1 \%.nn,cot. '1111- otli r intcl;m %%.111 0\11au,t ]111(t .0,(1 tLr .hall ill lic-o of a Circ flaml+cr. Ex- old t %ilio. finish is p.]int on '%p,ona \\,]llho.lol. T Ill- 11:111st (.Ms are Llc.ltetl 011 tilt' roof incl tie sc<Ienas are !''oor gni\h in the .1p.11'r1:e1as c0o<ut ut n%41n (:n pct (1esi ncd to t'xh.u]<t appnt%i:n.ttelw 100 cin troll) etch 111.1;r]].tl \%lilt ..in inte'_ral foam r]]!t!;er ia%i.u]^ ee- apalnnent unit. I FIRE Jell RN.\L - N1.1il E97 J - Table 1. Occupants Who Died Per Cent Apt- Carbon ocatpe.nt Age Sex NO. Monoxide Cause of Dcadt Remarks A 18 Male 70.1 20A Carbon monoxide Laboratory reported blood intoxication and sample unsatisfactory thermal burns (diluted). B 60 Female 70-1 557 Carbon monoxide intoxication and thermal burns C 61 Female 710 50z Carbon monoxide Suliered from Parkinsonism; intoxication walked,With cane; heavy smoker. D 75 Ferilzile 709 68% Carbon monoxide intoxication E 71 Female 711 4K Carbon monoxide intoxication F 82 Male 713 Less than Carbon monoxide Laboratory reported blood 52 intoxication sample unsatisfactory (diluted). C i5 Female 713 62% Carbon monoxide intoxication H 91 Male 731 50% Thermal burns I 64 Male guard 40% Thermal burns Lived on tenth floor: died on seventh floor in elevator. J 67 Female 1007 Smoke inhalation Died after six clays' hospitalization: no laboratory work clone (victim from tenth Poor). A manual local-only fire alarm system installed in ' straight-streain nozzle with a �-inch tie, and a 2!=-gallon the s arranged to sound an evacuation alarm. pressurized water fire extinguisher. A 1,000—pin cicc- Afa;nial ;ire alarm stations arc 1oc•:ited at each stairwav trically driven fire hump providing -10-psi net jump door and in the elevator lobby on each floor. An pressure located on the first floor supplies the system evacuation horn is located at each stairway door, and from an eight-inch connection to the cit• hater supply. the UL-listed devices have a decibel rating of 103 at A wct-pipe automatic sprinkler system protects the 10 feet. An annunciator panel is located in the second- maintenance shop and refuse chute terminal room on floor corridor adjacent to the receptionist arca. The the first floor. Fire Department sianuse connections power su1e!,: panel for the alarm systein is located in are installed :is secondary supplies for the standpipe. a first-floor mechanical equipment room, and power is anti sprinkler systems. suppli(_d by a Type 2 crnerge•ncy power source. The _ o hui!din`r a!•,o has an cnwl"cnc}' cal! syst(•m. A switch The Fire. On 'ThiiiNday, Novenilwi 30, it was raining for 111c systurn is located fu tic liathrnoni-of each apart- in Atlanta. The. temperature was 41"F and the Wind mcnt unit and signals arc transmillcd to an annunciator was out of the cast at 10 mph. panel in the rcccp;iunist arca. If a resitlrn[ activates Sontctiine h(for(• 2 :un the buzzer nn the enxtrl;rncv the system a hit'i.z.cr sunnds and a li it indicates the call system at.-tiv-ah•d anti the- an11uuri3tir intlic:itrd a appropliatc ;ip;(r1I11cnt uirniher. A staff nu•nlbcr then signal had been rrceivrd from :\p: itiocot 710. A proceeds to t!n- apartment to ascertain the nature of guard was on (lilt' in the lohbv and his wife was up the proLh rn .incl lend assist.uler, talkiul, with hint. The }hard told his wife, • 11wre is A standpilu• and hove system installed thrnughunl hoobf(• on the s(-vi-nth floor,- and thco took :in vhwntor Ilir buil lin', is drsiCn(d for ns,- both by tilt- Pill- to That floor. What action her took is unknown. I lis body Dcp.trhnrirt :rod by n side nts. Sic-inch risers :ur In- w:1s Iatcr found in the clrvator at the s(•vcnth Iloor. c.ttt d ill rich ,t.urv%;IV .lid '_'; in( i1 ho>c t onnrctiorls Thr m:uulal fin• .11:11111 scstrni had not v0 pounded soul for Dire 1)rl,.utna nt u.r,or pnlvith d. A fourth ,ix-in(h hr dict clot know that thrrt. vca, a fill till 111x• sccrnth iisrr is .if,o 1n,tAlyd 111 the- 1 icv%itor lohlw .ou;i. Innr floor. io.r (.ciuu h .111• in.Llllcd oo r.ul1 floor. oil(, ,1t lir rod 'I'll(- occupant of Ap.utowill 710. Orcnp:uit C (sct. of rich corridor .1nd one in the rlr ator lohiw. f;a(h hab!r I ), an r!drrh• woman Allioctl with I'.ukinsons cabii,tt (orttmiis 75 ft-,-t of ("-inch linen hos-, a disease•, discovered :t fire buroin� ill irr livin rooln. FIM: JOVIIN.1I. — \IAY ItCa 1 7 1 � ! r.9 r7] Ynt rOi irya 1"'T t4 ( �� r I L'-t F-:t -L:11 C YpI r9. tOD )oe rw Y2r LY !OL rJ• T )D '.0 •lr )IZ ]rD IrD _2O l23 t � YI. •s 5Y :.t r25 r2+ Act r0+u u•,�y1v d.Cn�riG rj iI6 1I5 174 T [gat Yn r<trir(3 ---5 1JlJll! C+vvt' %VAr.CC >IY 119 it<• ...<. .5 iIY t20 Cu.anEJ , t 11.0 GRIGrM �� .�N 129 i3C V tt 6 71N FLOOR 7 FLOOR PLAN CGRR)DOR C-a-Cr C'.R IArrC9"S Figure_'. Layout of >cventh Roof.s10TT•in7 locations of victims Figure 1.Corridor carpet Char patterns Left. [.twrirti t);ittcrns Irvin rMjl) of origiri. ATI,A.%T% FIRE DEPT sti =j _'E?:B d ¢ ! ¢ p $ttttnrn left: Oatlitte of i'ictim ill south corri(lor. Note chat pat- - term on floor line. NFrA !T: She left her apartment, leatin� the entry door open, and headed toward the south stairtval- door, first s 'zj ; < :e stopping� at Apartment ;Ol to rause its two Eemai f y ; S-1 �� occupants. The three%voinen at first thou-Eft the%.would i' i �- . seek refuge from the fire in :Apartment 101, but khetY { chan^e;i their minds and entered the adjacent south "��' ' p t-.j{j ` `*�.l�s' Yr' + r ; t• i stairway. Occupant C said that she had forPkten her medicine and went back toward her ap;irtment. 14cr .. t rf S r ,'�txs p bode' was later found in the corridor cipprolimatrlti ��..,_ ,1 t i f J t' Y-T•'•`> rti F �i,:x�F. t -- _ t' _ telt feet from the door. ( l i ir, t d t The occupant of Apartment !O7 was awal erred by K,)k^" .. r t^ *j rr^sr�_)-x -. imiscs and the smell of smoke. A Sl•atnan toccupant liJ aE' xr- 4rL�`Je tt r C) knocked on her door and Said her apartment was on Fre. Flic occupant of Ap:lrtnient !dt opeited file dont but 9iliokc and heat knaclrcd her back. Site then rt 1: closed the ciao= and blared towels uilcicr it to ;lid in =+'.-�=: ."C=`'' - ^�t-'�. :x= t '•:e-F=1 f� `:n� ke(,>inr* the smoke ont. Site decided to t+-:lit for rescue .Y in her bedwom and, cio:ilii' the door, $i1C S(atld by file window xv;iitiil Jr for the Firs` Depirtment. W. + A man and wife who t'lccn(licd Jlllartiricut 712 �'''"''^''' „ ,t" ,_t y.• *aar aaola to a soklod U-0 a cit crying ill Apaitnirnt 711 r- >tiit - 1r ti _ r'yl . =�.tb,fir. {titin tuns later thnuht to he Qectili.int E). �'hcT. Sill('lied Yiilt)kr` all<i (i<•Gtit'd to lc',l t'C the ai);ll till("Iii; howe\cr, hrfoic vntc tui„ fit,: corridor thrr put on rain- t ctrats .2nd i>i;tcrd ttrt imu is nett their lu-mis, As tht'y' r' F''" 1 kr Yt, lt•kt (h ;lj)3Itint'tlt tht• nt.tn (int liis arni :ir{ntntl his t vi rr t{ i"�+ i ttifr> ht,itl ;nits itaif dra %t'd .1110 Cmi-it'd her dot,11 *~' .,�carr �,x._,. J`r" +�,,;,�- ♦ thr north cnrridt)r. )eist tliifa<h• til=l=dtuii tht"\ Stclltx-il t:t.ix.�J3`tr rn`h;,,• Yr.lftw,r-iy l:. ,� Deer a in:ut ({)ccuil.uit li, E=rror .Akl.irhtu•nt ;°I ) lying -�";'Ya+.''''`' 'k'�x".,r'`d'-�'��`' r' '•{,yfrr in tfu, ttirritlttr (larti:ilit' tFVt•n'nnx• bv tinu,kr :inti t,t\�ic i j{t,yt r• t.r•t .i _ l l } fl l't' IlC;lf •l�hr ta'.m .lift u: tcifr t ttitltl t't- .. li'Ncl ill tilt-t' rcatnl lintttnt�.nd flit- south curridot. {?tr iiitt•a<v iit'af anti (tint' i'tniiititf t' iltt'i� u't'rt• aril= til n:u�li t?t<• nt»tit 3Lu rttnr anti t'?ctlii• to flit` ttttf- !t �' � � •- ;`:a �y (?tr flit' ninth il+uir inti= of tin' j:nttitlll (.i c'nIL•,c stu- } t- A . tit lit 1 ilr.uti t?cr fi=r :il,u'nt .�»tntlitrl, lir. tt' kt' hit N> JAU,lh� - .8 L7 f F-IA ;v , .i�� I i - ­ - " - . - 11Q 6 IL, j Left: chrn.iize in north corridor. CCOter: daiwtge to entiv door of Ap.irtnicnt 712. This door was penetrated by Pit(-. llit:lil: (Immu:o- to Apartnicist 709.:t the entry door. NFPA roomin-itc, who notified a sceretary residing on the The ladder company proceeded ill) the cast stair c;irr,.- second floor, and she called the Fire Department. One ins with thern 2.'2'-inch hose rolls and equipment for of the students ran up to the tenth floor and awakened connection to the standpipe system. This crew entered one of the maintenance men. When the maintenance the east corridor on the seventh floor with self-con- man awoke lie could hear the fir^ alarm sounding. twined breathing apparatus and rescued at least four Looking out his apartment v.indow in the cast wing he occupants from that area of the fire floor. Hose lines S.11W filo si .10%king on what he thought was the eighth were laid to the siamese connection and two engine floor. He left his apartment, noting heavy smoke on company erc%vs made the initial Fire attack from the the tenth Poor, and went do%t'n the cast stairway. He south stair using a 21-'-inch hose line connected to the entered the corridor on the eighth floor and as he standpipe. Fire fighters reported very heavy heat and Passed through the elevator lobby lie could see Ric in smokc, conditions \vhen they opened the door; tile'v the. cic%%ttnr shalt. lie removed the Fire )lose from a could see :I glow from the file binning farther down nearby standpipc hose c.-thinct, charged the line, and the corridor. Fire fighters with self-contained breath- flowed flowed water into the shaft blotwecti the hoistway door ins apparatus began searching for survivors under the and the jamb, protection of a hose stream, and they rescued at least The fire alarm dispatcher at the. Atlanta File Dc- two occupants in the South corridor. Other fire fighters paitnient received three simidtalli-olis tc!cphonc calls advanced a P'-inch hand line down the cast corridor front irsidunts at the Baptist Towcjs_ The first caller and found heavy Fite blowing from Apartment 710 into w;is excited and difficult to understand and the dis- the South corridor. This ciew entered Apartment 712 patclivr switched over to the second call. A woomn and bleached the partitions between the two apalt- rupoord, is a Fit - m ISSI Myole Drive, the nients to it,;icli Apaitinent 710. The fire was knocked high-ria: Imilding for senior citizens." The first-duc down after the 11OZZIL! W:IS 0pCI';I(e(j thj()n('h the opCn- c0lop.olivs. two ull"imc colop:111irs, and a ladder Cool- ill-, ill the It took- approxilliatt'k. 2_0 Illililitcs to Z, pony \\clr aiertrd at 2:IS and and responded at2:19. knock down tit(, fire in the corridor :111(1 in Apaltilit'llt The f;I%t-:tl.IrlII battalion (llicf arrived at the Baptist 710 aftvi cit-ws hegan Fite-r4jitim, operations on tit(. Towris nt ;ipj)roxinvt[,-l\ 2-:23. As be pol!cd into thr scv(.11111 (lour. dIivcx\:Iv I'll the cast %I(],. of dw lioildill-', he could sec 14-st.oc opriatioos took imich low,cr— op to 50 mio- one Moto of All;Irtownt 710 foll% involwrd. and second- litt-S to collipletc, The initial rescue obit-t-ti\c was to al.orn (ooiji.toivs wcic di%j),it(hud at 3:25. The tot:d ICIACII litNt those in(IM(loals \%.)to were lllo,t sc\(Tt'l,V t- Ispollw ( oll%,sIqd of acro COoll t.11 hics. seven exposed hY (Ill- fit(- on the Nv\cllth tio(w. In addition to laddl-I (ollill.11ill .. one IUM It,'. .1 111111dwr of :oIlhol.olucs. thug . rr,cne t-flolk flool \\itllill. acli.11 Ipjmlotos WAS and lit, 1'. .11,o o,,-tl .\II S5-loot pl.itlotio IC\Cllt'tl Nc%cn AS ill" !il,t nilly colly.illi, , LIIIX('(1 1)1.1(k sIllokt- waS 1w,,00N dont \ji.otnicnis 7,03. 705, -,07, -, 15. To 17. mtd il"Ill (,it (!!'' 1(*%i'Ht!I t;.")l Alld lil)ois I V). Fol s(-\,.Zal olilllltc. .k \\iIIII:to boon Ap.11tol, til ;Il.o\[% o(tllp.11.1, I'll]([ he wco frons 15 ti.iddl, d the \\m(loW lcd�c flool her '111.11till, lit Ill Im N I;I 11111Iti !III I I It i.I I It.,c I I t' :IIIA Ill,-- gold \\ ill, d lot ill(, ol 1)1.111 ol Tit to 111. 11'11l Wlit i,111"t I N-11t 111- 1%1 Io UItiImtoJ NIIIIII::.111. ol!Nk to 1 -.1 111'1*. A f t I t Ill- rk,?( I I,-N f I-of I I I I t I I I. I I t II I-11w jorrvm, - \1 I,) 7 V� -4: ......... . 4 �R' Lf Left: remains of wood door jamb,Apartment 722. NF P A Left center:-Smoke dainat_:e to living room of Apartment 711. One victim "IS found on Poor in foreground. ATLANTA FIRE DEPT. 11v_ht centrr: damage to elevator found at the seventh floor. ATLANTA FIKE DEPT. Right: Smoke stain on ninth-floor etcvator doors. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS and 719 had been completed, parked cars had to be burns. A tenth victim (Occupant J, who Occupied mowed before the equipment could reach Apartment Apartment 1007 on the tenth floor) died on December 715: A 100-toot aerial was also used on the west side 6 as a result of complications resulting from smoke to reach occupants above the seventh floor. In addition, inhalation. two aerial ladders were operated on the east side of Thirty persons received medical treat:--sent for vazi the building, one on the cast side of the north wing ous injuries at area hospitals. Three of the injured and the other on the north side of the east \%ing0. Be- were held at hospitals — -I woman from Apartment cause of terrain limitations no other east-side areas 715, who suffered third-degree burns on her -arm; Oc- \%,ere accessible. curiant J, who later died, and a 36-near-old fire fighter, A numbcr of occupants were exposed to smoke con- who was in critical condition after suffering a heart ditions on the sixth floor and on floors above the fire. attack on the scene. The heaviest smoke concentration was encountered on The principal fire damage was limited to Apartment the tenth floor, and lesser concentrations were noted M on other floors. Fire fighters aided many occupants 710 and to the seventh-floor corridor. In Apartment -0 10 the contents of the living room were destroyed, with from their apartments through smoky corridors to the lesser damage to the contents of the bedroom. �\1ievi Z' I st--lir-kP;l%'- The stail\k:iys were also charged with smoke, fire 601tcis fust bleached the bedroom wall from with the worst conditions IlOtCd in the SOLIHI and castApnitinent 721, the beddin- in the bedroom was not stairways. File fi­litcrs l)Ut coats, and breathing :ill- C, 0 HWON"Lld, although other contents of that room were parntus masks over occupants' faces because of those [lie burning. The entry door to Apaitnient 710 was com• conditions as the occupants were led to S:Irctl Of In, 'I PlH ), (I idcstloved, and glass in thtl living ww rooindo 95 occupants known to have survived tit(- fit oil the had bVen blol'Cli by heat. The point I of Origin was six through clv\(:II11I flools of tile building, at lcnst GO believed to be it, the southeast comer of the living were rcscin.,d b)' fiFC Fil btL'rS, and a majority of tit(.[)) were icd thtiltitli corridors and (!o%k it staii xvn\s. 1-00,11, possibly ill Ili upholsterk-d chair. However, tb(: file cause was lint detcimincd. The OCCIII)MIt Of AIMIt- CmiAtir,; and Btlild;:!._; Dallm"e. Foll(mill" initial Inelit 710 \\-;Is a lwavv sinoLoi. Joists in the rvinforccd- 01)1-mlion- firt- u lw. mj the search for victims )It concicte floor s1:11) ;thovc- this point \\ew spallcd. tit(- fire fl,wr. Nine hodics wcrc found ('11 dw scacll(h Filc or llk%lt dalmll"c was kwidelit throll-Illolit the flour— fivi. %ictiin% it, tpaj till,lits. chit, in ti, cnrridol St'vi'lith-floor corridor s\stvin. The lwavicst damage and mw in tit,- (levator (sec Vit!llw -1). T.Ildt. I Shows was llott'd in :111 :IIL';l Cxtcnding Froin Ap.irtinciit 710 Ilat.1 on t1w'w ililiv vi(tilill.. Fi'_ht of tit(.- to and thiotwh the elevator loldw, \dicrc both the f.kI.11:1it Il wcw occlip-Ilits of dw sc\1:1101 fl.)(Il. .111d Hic t%lij)"t N1111:14,1' lll:ttklti;ll Alld tic foam juldwr backin,., nilith \n hill (0 1111. 1INIHM'd (scv Fi-Illo :3). As Cxpk.ct"d' C11:11 j1:11- ill tit(. \,,:Is I(!, �Itii;ctl is X\ dw %%h, it.,d tj tri tit(, W111,; on Ilic 1IvjP;IIIII wAlho.ild walls dowel to CHWI.-It'll(V (Ai N.\Ntvlll. Thc fititlin,, .,I Ow Itt, dit.11 llt)or !o%cl in this Hc\olld (itis (1:1111.11zcil CX.11111:41.1' uu!icatr th.lt lc\ull of tht"(- Ililit. Ili,Ii If 4 IF- dw lett I,, illc (oindor w.illi varied in soli unant\n!r pontaun_. her it;,(. of d.%lI!I it r\\iI hcr-lit tim.iid the and of catch corridor. In the 1!11.11 '..INt cnnnLlr tilt- gist' jl.ilt'Ills \%t,i(, iw:ir fluor 2u FIRL 10" RNM. — N1.1ill 11il hetwel'n tilt: elevator lohhy rote! Apartment 720. Ile- the heaviest stain evident in the south stair. At cx- l\vicen Ap.otnrnt 720 and tilt- end of the corridor they amination indicated that the labeled stainvay doors extendod :it :tn ant le up to approximately half tilt- di.- were undercut approsimatrly 1'2 inches hetWecn the tance from the floor (opper portion charred). In the floor slob and the door. 1 north corridor the char paattrins between Apartment The fire loss to the building is estimated at S250.000. 713 and the end of the corridor extended at an angle and the loss to contents owned by the Baptist Towers from near floor level up to ecilinG level. Corporation (not including the contents of residents) The elevator in which Occupant I was found was is estimated at 55.000. heavily chnrrcd; the hoistww:iy and doors had been open durin- tl c Etc. The door+ wwrrc %warped and the call Discussion, fn the early sta,es of the Fire, although the control Pa ncl Nvas destroyed: Fire entered the interior fire had been discovered by the elderly occupant• no of the elevator shaft throu,-h openings between the positive action was taken to sound the internal fire car and hoistway doors. Control wiring in an enclosed evacuation alarm or to notify the Fire Depai tment. vertical racewwaw between the two elevators was heavily This allowed the fire to grow and reach flnshower stage. dama,cd, and the hoistway doors directly above the consuming combustible contents of her living room. elevator on the eighth :?oor were warped. When the occupant vacated the apartment the entry Destruction of sonic evidence during Fire Depart- door was left open. Built-in compartmentation features ment overhaul operations prevented complete examina- provided by the one-hour fire-rated partitions and the tion of the damage to the apartment entry doors on solid-core composite door \were nullified. At the Bap- the fire floor. It could not be determined whether the Bap- tist Towers the fact that the anartment of or Cin was entry doors to Apartments 70I, 709, 711, and 713, on the windward side of the buildir:c added to the where fatalities occurred, had been open or closed. fire problem. Since the window in the room of oricin However, in at least i\co apartments (712 and 725) a had broken carie in the Ere, the direction and wr!ncih detailed examination could be made of door perform- of the wind drove the fire toward the condor and tilt- ince. In ,oOi cases corridor exposure was sufficient to fire became a serious threat to ocher occunants. cause penetration of Fire through the door. These doors The exposure to the other apartments on the fire wvere penetrated between the core and the rail (top floor was intensified by use of corridors to sunup horizontal member) at the top of the door. The heat make-up air and use of carpeting with high fire hazard l characteristics. These two factors in combination in- and Etre damage to Apartment 712 was limited to the surface near the door and smoke stain wis creased heat level intensities as well as smoke and evident throughout the apartment. In Apartment 725 toxic gas generation in the corridor system and spread the fire had not yet caused damage to the ceiling sur- these conditions to other apartments. face. In many other cases %wood door jambs were also Smoke and toxic products of combustion were drawn penetr..tr-1 by fire. Apartments 709, 711, and 713 re- into other apartments by exhaust vents in kitchen and ceiwcd mnrc heat and Vire damage, with charring to toilet areas. "I he exhaust swstem fans and the air supply ceiling and \v.-ill surfaces and to the hollow-core wood fan continued to operate during the fire. Gntrw doors %vcre undercut and each apartment was supplied withcloset doors near the entry doors. In general, the cx- posurc to other apartments was. most severe on the make-up air. The exhaust systems were designed to rx- wvesl side of the north and south corridors oppositt: haunt up to 100 efm of air fro:n each twit. This dosig n Apartment 710. Cli:ir pattcnu in Apartnwnt 709, \%-]rich violates tilt, intent of certain codes, such :is \FIA No. Was directly across tit: corridor front Apartment 710, 90A, the Sfcnrlarrl for (hr ]nslallrrliun of air-Cnuclilion- indicate titin this unit rrceiwrd the greatest exposure. ink and \'cntilalin1 Sgsfenr.c, %\-]rich dors not cnntcm- All apartments showwcd Nwoke damage, to varying de- Irl:itc: such a birth contintinus nir flow bctw t-n the grecs. corridor anal 1110 apartments and the undrrcuttin,� of apart wnl (,tilt\ doors. NFPA No. 90A dors prrnut use Snnnkr stain was noted on :ill flouts ahm(! 111e fluor of an apartment building corridor as a supply of of otit"in. I Ill: hcanirst stain \was observed on the truth make-up air in apartnu•nls through normal leakage floor in tilt: rh:vator !ohhv. Aftrr the fire the second :round entry doors. At the Il:tptist Towwcrs the actual elevator -as found tit ty• htroth fluor with the doors install.ition of rntiv doors resulted in nndrrcots v:uw- opcn. fh0 principal mr.nis of suwke spread was iuL up ht It- inches in sonm caecs, (brow-', tier t h:w.itor di.tit. Smoke stain %%as Icss c\i- Tllc dt•gir-r of danla.gr in the conr u.ois ,widener cleat tun tie ri�ltth, ninth- ar.tl � !ryrnth floors. Tbr !c:ist of lit(. intrnsit of ill(' c\po<nrt: Irvin tilt' Err in the amouia -A >tain %v.ts noted of the, cic;hti f!oor. Snwl,.. - rornn of onut. Ilrut Irwrk wwrn• evident In a ch.o,tc- st.lin -.is noted in t!W atuth :tad cast stairways, wwiti trristie ci.tr pattern on gwpStnt %w.tllhoard rortidot 1 rt-,... . ,...o in;t PIBE Jul:RN.NL \Y 197.3 1 cne tc:uu was set till with st-If-contain-d hreathin, firuworks plant on Jult 11 killed fiat, people and in- app.t . 'n>. exp!osinietcrs, r•xplo\ionpnurf li,gltts. and jurcd r\to. Then still auothCr explosion ;It a fircutorks j safety ling. Thvv rc-cutcrt'd thr arca to firtd one cm- plant, in Orland P:trk• Illinois, March G, killed three I plovee still alt\, b1-sides sC\cral bodies. Since the ex- people mid injured 18. The explosion in Illinois (le- plosiInctcr readings r_till I:t-r cent ofthe Io\ter explo- stroved 16 buildings and blew out windows a mile sive limit. gaseous niho•: , \vas brought in to pnrgc an:ty. "1 he one in \lass;ichusctts Iex'CICd 10 buildings. the arca. The readings bad aped to 10 per cent In all. these three explosions killed 'If people incl in- of the !o\trr r.xp!osive limit by the it.. rescue and fire- jilted 31. Six similar fireworks incidents also occurred fi,ittir.•, operations \tete contnicted, :u,,.• t 7:30 pm. in 1972. j (Fire-ngintinr, elioris consisted mosth• of extt:T , fishing fires in exposed ordinary c•ort;hustibles.l Transportation A joint investigation made by the West \-'irginta Fire Of the eight nntltiplo-drath'transportattrnt fires — not Marshal's Office, tin $tate Pn!ice, and the State Labor in ' ding the ice cream p;u la-:urcraft are in Sacra- 1 ? Department (the OSfi:1 agency for West Virginia) mento, lilot.nia, reported above — four intolced high- found that coke ,.is had been ignited by an unknown way yehic!ez r i-4 deaths); three invoked aircraft; and source. The property loss was fisted as 5600.000. The one involved an c\: 'ar.k ship. gas control area and an adjacent coal storage arca were The hugest loss of .:re in a transportation fire oc- also dammed. curred when lightning iEmitt-.t the tank ship \'. A. Fo_, The nreworks industry experienced three multiple- off Galveston, Texas, on Febrttat. L Apparently some death explosions in 1973. The first ryas in Midgewater. of the ship's tanks contained an exp;`-ive mixture of Massachusetts, where three persons (lied and 11 sou f- air and petroleum vapors. The lightning sp_ ted , Ina- fered injuries in an exp!osion on March 30. Then, in jor explosion, which ripped and bent steel decks, All Roswell, New Mexico, another explosion in another 39 of the crew were killed. Fire, Baptist Ton'er's ffousing for the Elderly (cmrtioucd from paoc 31) _ walls extending from the room of origin. The corridor method. Three samples were tested and the average carpeting, \thich had ;ut integral foarn rubber backino,,. Mame spread index was 33.4. The UL and NRS test burned in certain areas. Where the fire exposure to results indicate that this material falls within the the corridor was greatest (between the room of drigin Class D f!nme sprcnd classification—higher than the and the elevator lobby) both the carpet and the faun Class C limit of \FPA No. 101. The results also dem- ' rubber hacking were consumed. onstrate that the carpet material will propagate (tattle Sub'Cr4ucnt fire tests of corridor carpet material when it is exposed to an ignition sourer of ,neater in- t were performed by Undciwtiters' Laboratories, Inc., tensity (such as the exposure to the corridor carpet in and the National 13ureau of Standards. It is evident the Baptist Towels fire). from tests that the fl:unc spread of the corridor carpo At the Ilatptist Touters the fire do\rlopcd to such is beyond ill(- limits rcconuuendcd b% Ibc 1970 Gdi- proporliwis (hat it urns :t throat to occul).u:ts of five• lion of NIP.\ No. 101, the Lift-• SaP:111 Ccdc. This olhCr (tools. Consic!rrab!r snutkr and heat \verC spread Cor/r: pcnnits thecn(o;eing :u;thorih• to limit the f4nnn• by if),- clrtafor shall. Ihr• shalt \vas ext:os1-d ht 01\1- 1 spread rh.uactcri,tics of a (Lear covering in residential cicvalor doors on the lire floor and h\' on1-n elevator occnp:;ncL's for the ntc:ur: of C,"ress to Class C. etas doors on lh,• Icnih Ilonr. Snurke was also It-portt'd in C interim fini,lr:t hate .a flame ::proal Intro" hct\teCn stair\v:ns on;rar_ (itc- tire•. All occu(\:utls of (hese do'll's 7G :utrl ''-!t0, as estahli,hr,t Ir: \'I'I'.\ \-o. 255. the Karl to Irate 11w filo :ilea. tonna re ltii:in•, a>.ia:ur e 1/ellurrl of Tet: of Srrfurre Pwmir(; (:/unur::rrtt.\(ir.c of b\ fire hi hh," (ht.- nrr'11lkntl Irrnr I_hr tcllth llo,w l3rnlrlin, 11ut1:rin1y (AST\I f: SI ), tt•st method. Ili this later Aird. I lic rrlalitr pos;linu (11 lilt floor of origin nu•Ihod. il.une spread of .a eoui(Im Carpet sample to thy. total h, i,,ht of tilt, building exposed more pee opl from !!,,- Ro\ .;pti't TtrIN. to to d Ira (`I,. \t.a, 1.3_. 'I lu• in ilii, i;iglt ;ix• ,uncture itan ctre tit the lire h.td oernrrt-d Ul. Ir,t i, gala iud;e.;tes th.tl ;iri% maienal I.I:I♦ within on Munn 'll,mc I lo\tetrr. Itad Ihr tilt- oCCurn•d nn a tilt- (:!.i„ U :!.unr .t;ie.ul c!.c„t(iraliou. I tum lilt”( hoot .i!,n\r tilt It 1(11 nl .;rri:il lAdIlrl,. mc\ir f.it.t!ilic , t\ ,t tr,u!t.. ihr hill conlii,r�ih,l \.11111- \\as Lit .and ihr could l:.nr It(ur;r(I un 01.1t 111\n1- ill mi•_in In th.tt nokr c,n,ir;h;acd \alar .t.n )-)5. '1 !w N.it;,m.tI Itt;w.m (.111-- All 6;t- ti•,ht:n•, .md ;1-u at- \\ori. \\cu;ld I;.nr h.td of S(.un!.u�!, .rho t.nt I!.unr ,Ixr.ul argil. u,in" tilt, to h,' I1n1- mcl ,l.ii;\\.I\,. 'I III. InuCr; .;err„ lion• rt-. \51'\I iG' i'1._". i,'\t ;n1- Snr(rn: Fi,ururoririit.' I luirrd n;i•_! t not I;.ttr been 'tdli\ ;rnt !u ..t\1- Iho'C of lir.h'1-•:( F,ing .l li,ninta( 11\ ,t( 1,!:. r!--,; \r;ru,r•. t\st neral\.1t;i, \\.ulin ! n argent. FIG[. It tilt\.\I. 127 fire fighters, 10 CIVIllanS 111JUrCd Smoke hinders high-rise fire operations James R. Bell* Fire Analysis Specialist NEPA Fire Investigations Department A lire originating on the 20:h floor of a The curtain wall panels are right against all office occupants two to three times a midtown Manhattan high-rise office concrete floor slabs. Other floor penctra- year included the activation of floor building on Mondav evening. 23 June tions are lightly sealed. manual alarm systems, movement toward 1950, was responsible for iniurics to 127 There are approximately 22,000 square appropriate exit stairs, and a presentation fire F-htcrs and 10 civilians. Compart- feet of office area around the central core on proper actions and evacuation pro- mcatation of the_inti ;;,)or nod been com- on each floor. The orieinal open concept cedures in case of a fire. A building Fire pletcd as required by New York City's design used in the building was still in use safety director appointed from the high-rise safety law, Local Law No. 5,and on 70 percent of the floors. About 30 per building's service personnel was certified this %t'as a major factor in confining the cent of the floors had been compart- by the New York Fire Department. Office Fire to less than one-third of the 20th floor mented into areas with a maximum of staff fire wardens on each floor were area. Minor exterior Fire extension to the 7500 square feet, to comply with New responsible for conducting Fire drills. floor above occurred. Smoke spread York's high-rise safety law. Separation Occupants were still working on several through 22 stories of the building above walls were one-hour rated gypsum board floors of the building after normal office the'Mh :1cor, however, and heavy smoke on steel studs extending from slab to slab hours on Monday, 23 June 1950,when the conditions also existed tluec floors below with 111-hour rated metal doors protecting fire was discovered. More than 100 clean- the Gre floor, causing problems for fire openings. ing personnel were working on floors Fighters. The malfunctioning of several The 30th floor had been retrofitted with throughout the building. banks of c;cvators created logistical prob- one-hour rated separation walls to pro- The Westvaco Building is situated in lems for the lire fighters and contributed vide four compartments of unequal size. one of the world's largest concentrations to the many injuries. The northeast corner comnarrment,where of high-rise buildings — more than 600 in Most of the building occupants escaped the fire orwinated, teas nnroxinta;rh the borough of Manhattan alone. The by usir.2 the slairnvays. But smoke pre- 6tn.+.I snul'rc tc_­I is­- r' :,r Ii New York City Fire Department's Third vented the esca-c of at Icast 15 occupants; Tile 20111 floor housed the Bank of Division covers midtown Manhattan. The they w%c c forced to remain inside the America's commercial loan offices, which division has 16 stations with 14 engine buiidir•g for two hours during the fire. ran along the exterior walls. The offices companies. 9 truck companies, and one There \\erc no fatalities. Nineteen of the had solid wood doors. Between the exterior rescue company. 137 injured lire fighters and ci:i!ians were offices and the central core was an open of- hospnalizcd. None of the injuries were Fice arca. Tile ceilings consisted of sus- The fire serious. pended noncombustible ceiling tiles, re- cessed fluorescent light fixtures, and Fire grolvth and disco%cr The huildill , HVAC air transfer grills. The area of lire Dispatchers received the report of -� origin, in the northeast corner of the floor, smoke conning from the upper floors of, The -12-story. fire-fc6i 1i%c \1'cstvaco . BuilJing %,oh h,3wlnalt and subbasiinettt consisted of offices \%ith uleml partition the WCst\aco Building at 7:39 p.m. from was huilt in 1907. Tl:c buildirg f;tics Park units that extended frorn fluor to sus- a pisserbv\kilo u,ed an cillorecncy report- Aecr,ce and Occup ics the entire block be- pended cciliiw, ing system telephone box to place the call. tavern !_oat =.';til and Fast ,9th streets. Tile Two icr\aie clevaior� serkutg all floors A battalion chid, engine company, and buildwc\Icrior diniezwona are :Ip- arc located,in the northeast corner of the truck company were dispatched. The nor- pro\ima:cty 1.`0 fret by ISO feel and arc core. The passenger elcc?nor hanks pro- Uniform throe^-bunt the 12 stoics. aide split service (u various floors. The tion is two cilelne companies, two ladder The \Cietka:o 12:1!:Jiar hou,es the of- 1501 floor, Micro ntech:uti:al equipment .com panics, and a battalion chief, but f:is of ,c.cnl ntal�r cur;t,ra;i\m;, in- is located. has cic%atoi access only by sir- units nonnnily assigned were still \korkile: clud:u__ 0:e WC'A\AI o Corl'orauon. Ke- viii cickaWn. at aflit-;Hann toe nine blocks atva%. pubic Steel. lite Hans. of America, and There are 6-in:1 Class 1I1 slandpipe shoal% after file first call, the lire se\irat Ltrrc la\\ Grim. risers In (he north and \outh stairways of deparuncni rciei%cd another from oc- Pie t.t:d.:inti Ila\ a sou:iu:ai steel anis [lie ecint'it core, \\nilconnec`Ionsoil each cupants of the 32nd floor who reported ion:rcic �i:nr.11 .ore that ,gym mnN four floor. At ea:h floor \.tkc Ls.ulon there smoke p.uiint their \%uufo\xs. At ahout bet::. of pasinrcr ek\:at,rs- \ini;i are 125 feel of I ' :-utih oLeup:ult use Ilse sante lime. .1 Ienanl Gonl the _201h e ll\el nr\, :\vt i\tl �Lltr u,t\♦ :1 \ttlUki how floor Came 1\\ Illi buildn1C lobb\' to rept,:( the \tal.d ptpc \\\Ifni n 'applied h% ':1 i fire. and I\v1 poh:c Jillie(s entered [tic proof ;\,\\Fir, fC\Iroo;:l\, ui1hl% :Iowl%. - ha;;., end ::lour•¢, \cr.n!.tuun. and .ur I(,.!n�l.,•alit,n wotrJ �,:r.I\u\ tlank un (lie lobby to ripen a tui xnni\\hire fit the sstlu,urr til\' e, roof- :I 16,1+41 valL+n illc6l cra%nv t,utk upper cones til the building. - on ;`c _?IJ !lour. and It\o 7�0 cpnl The to\\er ;otic of the HVAC s%stenl, f`canng '1 will of il�c ;iii::i,n, on.1,:% t,! ,-tit:a. ault,nta;ti Itri pump\. I brie Itrc Ji part- for Il,ntts _' Int 1.6, wee shut oil-it !hi Ilene mem 11.ur.c.i :unni:;nr.t\ erg toealcd on of the lire. I„c taper ronc .c.tiln, .or ' the nJr[It, v,ul h. dr.J \\eel \frCf1 Irl\til\. Il JOHf 2' IhrJueh »_, \\-K nnliti dl:l!i i\' x!r i,a ,. ;prrcml. :•tc L.ct.l,i:nf ,1 hul�Jun; oi.um .%,ecin has manual \haul 0)p\\!1 un Ire order of the we safe:_% r,-,�n�,,,i \;t-,,�!,\I .n ;..^c �I I'\ '.\.,,n,nct.,n -till \la!Ion, m tL-c \t:innc t\( the rorlh urceior. lhn.C. aril \knnh eve 0011:1. 1 ire J;dls hills for I'Irif arrrnine iomparllLs, reacting to the 2.' tI':l f (Wk: l Mt = J : EAST •19111 STREET •'•1i'r�))C r _ R II DII _X41�;•<•+i;�,. ^1 I 111 In\�\ \`�` 1 •, 1 �jj;��}� �f�•• ;j 20TH FLOOR APPROX. 6.000 SQ. FT. 1x%0�. "y� +� ' BANK OF A%IEFICA TOTAL AREA: 22'000 SQ FT. r ti+ Il E E. Il„_� I.E, E ,- 16 .E.1 I\�i k,•. .;,.a .t"'fiy1; .. �l 5-. �• w � > t `J �'f\/T�I\---i+�l ,i� f r za.1 `iLh ..{DDD2.Yt t .s�_ t�✓r.. Y 3�� L E! < . D —' na•tn i\C 1 -zv II S�� '.^3L �r��� i.a'�54.,!�wci, � ., r �.1 Sn_rl 4 I � Fir^�1!`t[3 .ice..`},•ti, ry.�hy� S _C i_ j1 1 ill OS I'E �cn E.� —t l� .�. -7r;]2 t\l ;X -•�'-��'-LQ'}.C.'.'S"moi Ir•rt `i III ) iYt�_�r•" ' l �� Ir.W III` ��c�. - ✓ -Y`�'�.,cJK t,��y�� ' ns W- r'..•-. Y L>r+-"Ir'•`�.I9s�'�-`'•_ C'i 1ti� f ?.l . Above: This photo of the east side of the -�- EAST 48TH STREET It'estvaco Building sholrs main' i\indons ' ►�1 ORIGIN u,issigQ from rice 20th floor, where the Tire .Y originated. .Vote the hear putterns delineuring EXTENSIVELY FIRE-DAMAGED AREA the esrerior fire spread lofloors ubore the NORTH STAIR 201h. (NFPA photo) Left: floor plan of the 20th floor Hank.of QS SOUTH STAIR America offices shows the of ice of fire orit'in on the north Tice of the huildm: . The © S!.ICKE PROOF TOYER - shatied ureu is the 6(kH).sq:,:rr fntr comp;:rr- ,eent thus nus t'urred by the fire. G�;j ELEVATOR _I report of smoke conditions on the 32nd were advaneCd to the separation \%a11 on Pro%idcd protection between the s'estibnte floor, aecomIpaoicd I!le building ire safely (lie cast side of the btlildir,r and thromIll and (lie shalt. In the dark, S111o1,\' COrldi. j diricicr by c.%ator to ILc 23rd floor and both doors to limit ally extension of file lions of the fire floor, (he tlnpro(rcled inili:ucd a \carch to IoC:ue the lire floor. fire around the Corr. The lcn!_th of' lines smoke shaft opening Created a severe t As IIIc Imu,dion chict Srtivcd, passersby limited the advattcc trout (tic xutth stair- hazard to file fighters. 1 \%a%cd !tial do\\n ;tad pointed to the alley way to the separation \%all on the cast Conditions deteriorated on the lith, off ;h Street on the cant side of the side of the buildme. Lincs \%cre ad%:u1CCd ISth, and 19111 floors• making staged_, dif- ! buildul_. The ehiefin%cstigawdand noted out of the north stairway (hrtnlgh the lieul( without the use of sell'-Contained ifile i,su;:u• Iron) four \ando:st about four door in the separmwo \%all at (he north breathing appamus (5CIIA). Air reset%es or Ir.c fluor% above the 15th \Ior%. l-hr side of Ilse buildinyt. A Iloor-lo ceiling were Cylindcd IaI1iJk :Is fire fi__hlers a(- lite \,:t\ thus"cicnninrd In he on Ihi 1911) Pavilion Ilailll,ered the applic.uion of ICn11,lCd to :tzCend (he Smoke filled Stair- or 'UIII i:,p)f. N':Il el oil the Isle 111 Illi lt;,i 11 office :Ilea. from III%' 111th I1J01 IO Ihi Inv Il,h,f. A life ,as ven.11cd and a Tier The lack of floor (+fans made the plaeC- The addili\onal me of SC-ILA all Cut fire olid .Mann ..Js retltic-ted. Iir,r arn\Ine mem and ad\anCrnlCnt of Lar, more diftichlcrs' ef'tre(i\e \\orkinc lime on the CJutpanli, rliade Illc bulldnl.; ,crc or- lieull. bore dl:lcr:mn ni the eloalor lob- floor. \feeh.uuCaf I'lohlrnl,\kith Clc\ator, dered to 2isrcrld to Ibc _1);h :loor to tiles pn+%idcd hale ad,111mn.11 inlonn:nion prc\rnled a S1110oih Ito\\ of relief' Ic.un, IoCa:c we I:re. SIMIke Cond:l:Ill:\ on Ihi on paMnwn In:antui\ .Ind 0111:C- or Cor- and lc,er\c :ttrGi<, and IIIc Ilrhlel, 2001 :'.tor .Ind „n the floors nn:nidlalih' rldor Lnvut. emended Ihetr lunr e n the Ilre hoe, Inlnl 1 abo\r rC,.u.niJ .I \r.iek Ir.r ;Ire and lire li_hlers ,ir%I:IICd .I line from Ihi the% had to c%acu.oc fa;,idk d0\111 `tatr- UeitliJl:i. a,:!:c I Ile 1,ewcr\,!, clldrd to ,ot.'If1 \I:tor IU\\if tufo (!Ie ,::wl,c;,roo1 \%A%, 101ed \,11111K.1\\ bl.t:k ,mole. Ilic fire I oor. \\heliJwa!I-i\Lli1\fled life (,mer :Ind if, the \tmr\ Io Illi life ilJUr. Atier Ihi IIf,( mr1\1111 b:lll•11011 1160 1 \\Jc ('I, t,ered m the ❑Jri!li.l,l Corller of \\hill tile_+ !or,c„ r);,cn lite eorrtdof door. \,:I\ rilie\cd :11 the Comi'll.tIld ;,++,1 In the the !:h \r. J,:.!loou.11 .::doll. ,.iii J b!a,t o! !:Cal and fame,e\ne t!:enl h.t;k cntunJ floor I\1hh,. he .Ind me1110cr, of .1 ' i.1aeJ. J"',11 ::Ie ,t.ur\sar the 1•1,+1\:0:C!1 C!ICCI re\Cuc :omIvm% Cn:CICd an e!C\alnV 1.ro- T110 .Ir:J onc-halt.,Ilia h,),e ;uCi\ ,ere ,,I ::.Mlle\ mJ !ti.:1 dfault:^ from the a,r- ,1ded \\1111 life IKI::rf, ler\lee :patrol. broll;h..: :o tr:e ..'a :1oor Irolil ";Ild!`:pe, rldof :iio I:,e \moL c ,:i,l:l niched :1 1- T!Ic\ MCd 10 proeeCd IJ (Ili 1r:!1 !l,or I,, III file Itol:a ]rid ww:i ,iJlf\\J\,, Lm,:N J,IIIII,II;litl i.:JII1v'.111d ,Csccrt !hat .cl up .) lor\\JrJ comnlilij ;.t\I. I)C,I,Ite i '`• the iointol. the elevator car rote to the nearly e%erl contpanv in :Manfi.m:m and thin. floor ,lah on the 2.1st floor to crack 22211d floor. tttn tloolt above the lire comrmlics Intm ulc lit ,n\ :11111 Alld hcase :Hong the length of the beam. floor. were conmtlttcd t0 Inc \\'etttaco Ilit IIdi[IC The preliminary estimate of damages to Other problems with the service etc- tire. the building and contents w'as 515 million. vaton occurred. An o114:er and fire fighters who attempted to take the Fire spread and damalte Casualties elevator to the ground floor found call The fire originated in an office on the The injuries sustained by fire depart- swnches activated for the _Oth floor. Ef- north exterior wall of the 201h floor and meet personnel and civilians were caused forts to override the call were futile. To extended to the entire open office area primarily by the untenable smoke condi- ' prc%cnt coin-, to tae fire floor, they halted between the building periphery and the tions that dccc!oped within the building. the car. l hey tycre e\tricatcd b% other fire core The fire area included all of the in- Fire fighting personnel suffered smoke in- dep2r,mcnt ^crsonncl. In a idiuon, three dividual orlices %%Iwin Inc !urutt of ;he halation injuries and, in some cases, heat of t.:c tour n,ascneer c!evator banks, in- compartinent. i he oL..i)-;quare-loot corn- exhaustion. Of the 127 injuries to fire eRn.'i::, t c intermdfate and high-rise particut -eJ tt;t] [p;n;2t_:.:e >c!:eo. department personnel, only 7 were banks, fnal(unctioncd Bunn-the tire. Fire IVItnor c.mcnor terucat fire c.\tensiun uc- associated with force or muscle strain. fighters had to use the lots-rise bank of currcd on the north and east walls- Eighteen fire righters were admitted to the elevators, which ended at the 1Jth floor, However, fire damage on the 21st floor hospital. for motrment within the building. They was limited to a small arca of carpeting dost of the ten civilian injuries were used the stairs -for search and rescue and to one or two small offices along the caused by smoke inhala(ion. One building operations above the fire floor. exterior wall, where the vinyl wall cover- employee teas admitted to the hospital for The fire !fighters conducted primary ing and office contents received minor treatment. rescue searches on the floors immediately damaee. above the fire floor. Secondary rescue Smoke damage occurred on several searches on all 22 floors above the 20th floors immediately above the fire and in Anaiy'sis floor were conducted by companies that non-fire damaged areas around the core ! arrived on later aiarms. on the fire floor. Floors below received Ignition scenario By S:!O n.m., the fire had cone to five water and smoke damage, both limited by The fire marshal's office determined a)armt ansa trec::li c:li!s h, 'r•,en riaced the salvage actions of the fire patrol the cause of the fire to be the carefess use fo. 2'1 ade!nonal comranr_s. Tne lire was operated by the New York Board of Fire of smoking materials. The fire reportedly 'N:_!y n.r.1 - ;.tae hour atter Underwriters. had smoldered for I to 11/2 hours before the last ro:t. l :Act oI t:coaruncnt In the fire area along the north wall of breaking out or the office of origin and Franca :u:arrs, no•,rtcr. cid not the building, structural beams and girders extending rapidly throughout the com- oce:::.: it ur.;xr cnraml c::;a iu:23 n.m., protected with a '/a-inch layer of sprayed- partmented arca. Although the 6000- aw-r :rtt r. ors nao rc<n •.r..r:x`. on mineral fiber were deformed by heat- square-foot compartment on the 20th A in;a! e: 2i0 Ice fr_nr_rs fought the caused expansion and twisting. The: ex- floor %vas completely gutted, there teas Ire- '•lure loan .0 coinnan!cs, utciudmg pansion of the beams caused a 4-inch- little fire spread beyond it. Fire fighters Fifteen occupants waited t velve stories above the fire floor At the time of the fire.Ihcre w'cre an cstitnatcd 200 persons still in the they knew hots the building syould react to fire and that the normal pro- off,ce building. .`.lany became a,care of the fire because of the smoke cedure was to evacuate oto floors above and one belowthe fire. Thty ;hal spread cxtcntisciy throughout the building. Although the fire believed they were well aboee the tire, but stere anxious because they alarm was not toundtJ. Zhou floor fire hardens who were still in the did not know the location or the c\tent of the fire-performed their asslened roles,evacuating inose of the building Attempts to contact the security desk were unsuccessful, so they occupants.Osupnts on other Moors gathered and uicd the stairways called the fire department dispatchcr for information.They told the dis- to clop a to tilt ground. patcher 15 persons were trapped on the 32nd floor and carefully Two emp!oyccs of a fi„ firm that occnpicd the 322nd flour were in a described their location and the conditions. The dispatcher advised conlcrcr.;e room un the 33rd floor of the building. rhe door% here them that the fire%%as on the 20th floor, That they should remain where c!JseJ. and die two acre r—I'Mookrd it) the floor .uardl by Ile fire they herr, and Ihal tire&partmfnl personnel would conte to evacuate warccnt. them. tic said he hotdd call later t,ilh a progress report. At appto,imately 9:00 p.ri.,Ihete two employees left file conference Then the oeCupintt realized that the buildirw's s„'itfhhoird„as unit- roor) and r<alizcd That other nccupantshad Ieft the floor.Thcy notwcd tended, and an incoming call nicht not get through to them. Thcy smoke cininatrr:r from e!c,ator shafts and rapidly perccised the siuta- called back and the dispatchcr kept a direct line open, t,'hi:h 1„0 of the tion. In an clfwr In Icarn about tilt fire,they calb_d the building security occupants took tunic monitof ing. The dispatchcr checked their condi- rrun`Cr, hat I):etc oat no au,wrr. lion c%cry tell nlinu;ts. Nnoo,.g\mot<In the north tldt alairyay.the employees ,elft to the \\'h<n smoke condiii,tm deteriorated, [lie occupants asked if they scull sIi,rt to dCsrmJ to vilely. \\hen they reached tilt 22"Id hoof, shout) t,lcak a windo„ to oht,ul fre,h aft. Ilii dl,palchcr disceuragc,l the,' en;oantrred se,fn Inure occupants who h:id stopped hccau,c of a that .lotion :and cnnduutJ to Check rerio,licalh to inlorn) them and to beat I.oer of vnokc. reas%mc them that Fire fighters would soon t•c there. c)nc pertnn from ole eonlercnce room uicd to penetrate the tnu,kr. IIy approtiroaidv fiat p.m., the tulokC enn(1itions ,vert horse, and had n „at Ino hca,,. StOl ;n.),,.irc of the location of the life or the e,- the o,xupants las'on the lioor along the„find ohs. The acrid Smoke ,:is tc^.t o: tha vnokt.1..c n,o rcitont Irons the orlicrencc room Jeci,lCd to bcfuuum• to huts their osis and lungs. f C!urn fu their o.n 1'nJ I!, ,n fH lCs,where flet'were tinldl.0 „uh the I in• dCr.urincnt pasonncf. ICJ by a hulWing srrtice enlplotce, ar- ifea .wj lit rc,nur.C,. 1 f'. I. .:;:ordlug Io one. h,IJ .1 cnfullart!n� toed on the Ihool III .Ip:aotnnatc!\ 0115 p.m. A lc,, nlmnfct tiler, the ts.r.n!,•;teal el tt\t I I he o,her ,cleft oCctl Pent,ul the s1J:n,.J% and ,l, ,,cu .lett Iollo„ i Jcpartuan( ,onnct down the smoke tower 1 p <J fen• per I ,.'tree ,q,un,w to „h,, „ere t: ,i Cll,:lftg the\t.rlrs joincd 01cm, ,fall\_ fcJ,hllll file elourlJ u .Ihout 4,Ii r,nl. lhct' ,Cie ehCeked at a 1 f+.e ,!?;< 3'.,d tt.,4u. :',c 1` .iti urunt li"k Ieluer 11 e !.u.a• 1,:C 101.11 h,,,ruJI and docin,wed to ^e it, cr,✓d he.Ihh. f ,l.)u:c n. m ir,'u IuJ a.rr n.:.rt d,tu„ey near the,ouch ,t.0 11,.11. l IACs 1 he carred .,.il:palits ,.uJ the .onfa.t ,,,ih and JircCt:on from lift ,CIc,!eJ'.^C 1:nJ h\dole in un!,\kiJ date ali„weil retrlrt I,)Ih.n tire dep.trunent untVt:her etas c,tremcly ::lir o,tint In Ca,:rt then an\- I:,.v _nJ sho,e;h<tliC!a m, au.e If had tc'C:It:nnc%„m:h thrN ou!d Icucs and rrctcwuic Irrauanal'hi hatl„r. ncct ,Ltvz ,ICd that the tire l.,c -, :Ct -^iorr^.a!,on on ter I•.rc. rhf, ,tuticd ,!)Irl t, jil kct,, and tact !cr.lriincn1 ic!cr,ione nwrI cr :`c -r,tln:Rf::fly JI,rla,cJ ::1 bold:nc> d :'Y.:.yr r,2 -,r,cnl ,.n„ke lion ocrt^.g Into [!it nL,111. Ihit ,:J :INI flag.In lrucin,l Lfc io:nlnt:n:anon ,I,Ec,n. 1'\r in'hou,c y ,^ :.lt olio rhi ll.,.,f.1„nfnfd lila-rf2if 111 e(,)llr+ifadil Af r,)rt)rrnnli Jtr,)n ,y,tenl had not tet btYn lmtal!ed In fine %k Cttvaitl ! Inst ; ,.lit. the o,,u;,anl> Ic!t :girl% ,ate. f hroo:h pre,lous framing, nudJule.l 10 oper:uinCon thC _lt( tlwx held tLuuage t0l�F >"�i; �"'7� `� + iLw Fire G_-Illin I ictics and to_-lt(Ucs � } S *; c r' The pretrnx of smoke on file three �c�,<��r:•+ ^-• �--S-r" �-jJ�• ,...-x r '.- ,;r�., �� �. !" - ,L:sv—f=s2 ?r' .•-�;.c'[�, �.Y' 7r. Z-`r.f� .:1 l.,S , tl Boors hilrltt' Inc lice floor contributed f0 the fire (litters' difficulties. Normally, r Y � Tr F fps 'tJ Y Yttiy Y <r'^ , t 3 • �., •-.t j t, t - ," s`',krtir,LJ r' y>�^ii'-ltr�. t` ��+�' the 17r1i:jai)• command po,i and staging J-T. �+ t areas are lo,ated on the Moors immedl clef 'hC1Jw lilt IIre Moor. In the\\estvae0 ' >`s1�- ��• \ L z.; f rrti,. y At'} Y"�.kyr. �t Ff}a Lt• -�Itj^c.r I.,., - < < >,.-. ic^ r -t • Gr fire. heavy<meke condlnon<on the jotter Moors of t(ie ',uiluirle mace it neccssar` z - _y t ♦ \� I YF T .:}..- a --r _ J + i , L "'-t Y_y d '} '� i - - y t'n.� .r S``�•` tl .-�r �- }-G.t y; I for fire pssonnCi roc..^❑ SCG.\ before they ttCnl LP lilt sl alit,ltS IJ the -01h i s<W Y ; s ti, J�If �`: 1J} ✓ { T� � �F > �� ` I! floor- The n.11l l:n:f lO:I::y OI cicl'a[Ors � created major logistical proelems. Air \ x 5� Y ��7 t�^�1(( refill bottles ::ad to be carried up from the 11th floor- Bccause of delays In supplying L r ,; refill air and r_het trams, Circ lighters on the hose hues extended thc:r SC:,.% time t,>-.-� v -rf- �-.� 1"�= „�. � `,a �> . v�•z 1 4 i�"�r.t-'�'� '-r ��.a"yc ,Y.i :-��-..- S::_ y, -" .•F.�tiv'-} YY to the ma\ir.:um. Thew c.clats hindered the fire attack and increased the hazards z ;; „�< -h, K` -� C ;V- ,t.;•.2- ,rx, ys. ,:�, to the fire f:_hl Crs. f -^r' `; ..r v_'�`-'-` -��x�''` ` !f ti`X3 til ,a Personnel Ot"CiCOme w,l)1 smo4;e we(e 1•'ry �'�� � .... �}�-k.'+t �- , �'•r.\n��l�s�iy.�7r��-rr\ '� r� ' placed on the 17th Poor corridor; reportedly, there \sere as many as 30 fire fighters there at one time. Smoke condi- Fire demage Wits severe in the open office area of the 20th floor, seen in this photo. tions at that Poor level ttorsened, but (NFPA photo) there %fere no elevators or additional fire fighters to mote the do\tned (ire fighters- Pointed deputy can protide valuable in- It must be reco`_nized that comnar[men- The ofitcer in control at the fortard com- formation during size-up, fire fighting, tation in lieu or spongier p otecuon mand post ordered \tindow lines broken evacuation, and rescue activities. The necessnales manu;:f r>.r.::euunittrnt of a out to provide breathable air for the in- building fire safety director should remain (Ire. Comparintrntal;en Will limit !tic size jurcd- in the lobby area to meet Initial fire of a the M' innuute the area of ;Ire m- The avenues of smoke spread \\'ere be- ground personnel and to provide informa- voll"cr ieru. but con)narzmen :l!:oFi \\ill lieyed to be the elevator shahs and stair tion to later arriving units and officers- not extinguish a tire. i enclosures. No means of ^,i.^._ ,t tit ern- - vided. There ,:is "n cut:):n::tic C`a:^a,r Summar' Aeknots'led,,einents e.trlaui; :Jacl:,nuy In :::c ri\/su Tatem New fork City enacred Local Lau' No. This investigation ,as conduced b.'the Na- .ruu u;cr \,r:r nu of:rraoir +`all panels or 5 in 1973 to improve (ire safety in its high- tional Fire I'rolcclion Asso:ialion (NFPA) windows avai!ab!c- Vcnting was ae- rise buildin,s. The management of the under an acrcrmem \\'hh (he U.S. Firc Ad- eomplishcd by breaking \,indow Iites on \Vesrt'aco Building had filed the required ministration WSFA). It ,as joillik funded by seven floors,the 17th ihroul;h 231d,where plan, and the building teas in compliance USFA, the NJtiunal tlureau Uf Sundards heavy smoke conditiens were present. with the scheduled huildin; modifi- (""11S), and NPP:\. Over 30i) \\'indotss on tlicsc floors tccrc cations. The comparimcnianon phase of Tile substance of Ihis in,rslicautC report Is broken to aid in ventilation. Local Lau' No. 5 was complete in about dedicicd to the public, It lila)' he frceh' a reprinted with lite cals(om;iry erediline of file F2cmotal o(nindO\\"class during ahigh- 30 percent of tile huildun;, inc)udim_ file source. The NFPA a solei) responsiMe for file rise fire is riot J rCSufar or norn:ll fire 20th Uoor. Other requirements to facl<, an.lksis, :old Cnnchlsion> Contained ' ground proccd::re, since C:2!!ing _lass may pressurize interior stairs or. protide a herein. create rxtre eae safely h;var Js at street nleehanl:all) fenced shaft, ttiliih would lite r.f"`rl ,:Is pl t!,arrJ I+c Janu< F. Uril. I levels. have limited sin Ol:e fpre:,d stlll,ln till• fire An:dttls Sj,c&tli,l, NI P:\ Vire Ul\C,liCa This fire ilhl+.tratcs Ox rn J}tnitudc of buildinn;, had VOL horn :ami+ICIed, lions Dcpar,nwm. ,\Ilk, Ira\rlrJ (o Nc,\ York fire tib.':U::_ O,,,rations nCcdid wControl This file rrkindlc;i the long-stantline Cil, n+docIlnwnl111ciacl<rcf:nedtovile lite m- a fire tit i:iaior ptoporiions in a hwh-rite CuntlovCr,y conecluing the life safety al- cideni. building. :Not all jmitJ;,ti,ms could 1101 dcd Occupants of hi±•h-lits Offi:e lilt :os,pel at n`n and of the a„1,1,ulrc fui mfr Chief .+I II:I`.0 lir.:til. Picnic.Cl til hen. mount svCh J sl rahlc lite IIAI:I t:; lorie. buill!Illgt by file 1)(n\Islon UI i0In i'IrIt: t)epk II< 01tCt I hues CI LI pI11"1 :u,J It.nlahon nor ioutJ In i,k luritdl:ttons tL'1Ct111 lite sprinkler prolriliUn is. 10111 p;irinleill:I- CI11c1 \\int.11, I;I UIIi,. ,+I Iii Nc\, 1otk Cil\ large nn,nvcr til IlllurlCs and loss JI a I lie- lion. In Ihls IMt:lll:e, :Un,parinuntationhire Di pail nlcru. .ue e].Ilelulf, ailn"`+li Jci.l. Ilse nun^In,er 111.11 o:currrd In ihiI tire. (lid limo Ihr tprC:l.f ,+1 lire. This n impOr- The a.a.t.n,;;of I ,I,.al,l \\IlJlcl. ,Opel Imcr the I:rC ,'.rtltonti Lt;Ct Ihr JI!(I.uIR' Of Cant Iron, Ihr Niall polnl nut utile of dell. Iiurr.u, „I I tic Pri sin...", ami 1'uhll: } rslahLshln. J::J mJ,n!J:norg Uri Lrhnnc linnlinp propertr JJM.We, hill J),O of Fr!.n 1,+n. .0 file \.`• loll, h.`.0,1 „I 1 tic 3i{lt lllC`. J:Isl -. r0\IstlC, IV:I,l1;al ,ll(•i:Ift innllf tl V_ pr,)hlCal, Illi Illi Jit`,Ifl. LIIJiI`\1 gilt, el1d,II D.I+41 \ill ,^III I• in tuehr:,r ';u,;.l;nc ilii t. I I't Cr r.0 l: mew. hie !hlur ,uiJ m\ol\iJ \\J, t,u lift lull e,r,, n ,IIv+ c c.oh .I I`p,::Lllc d. operatmn ,x o'•.aL'un;::,+n .,t the CIcs,ltor than Illi "'COO"Jum: fief Ill,u cart e.::u:':'ea '.,It1, Irte I;th:res sen tie \\ot!W h.tsc hien ,ill+le:l IU dc,lrn:IJ141 h\ contnsl :nJdc :heir :onlJnueJ OIC lite C\icn,lon. I he toe. ihoueh .O CTC. d3necrout. uJs n[anJ0O.INC. 1 The \e,, 1+`rl, C:lt IF:re )),^a nlem ( . n ':7i,1r(:Wl c JI ia,lnr I;IIF'1 .. , asallJMr r.,::ncJ !',til,;:^.0 sC,U:e ,^Cr4\II- ,i a;C•: : - - . t :none ^r:<: tint. \ rel IO 3s,n1 -..., .. ._.. ._ . . . ... .. .. .. .. bui!J`^ !ire s3:elt d;re:lGr or I:Is Jp- t ti:i. ( ill(\! \I) --. -.- _: 25